Easing Tension

Dipping her amber hair underneath the water, Commander Shepard sighed hard feeling the steam from the hot shower relieving her exhausted aching muscles. Her dark brown eyes gazed at the shower's smooth wall as her thoughts clouded her mind. As a soldier, she faced many battles, but her encounter with the Shadow Broker had just not put a strain on her physically but mentally. At first she seemed a bit perplexed by this….the battle against Saren and the Collectors was far more dangerous to her and her crew. How come it felt like she had two hours before going through the Omega 4 relay again?

Water dripped down her moist body like miniature streams as she let her thoughts control her mind. Like perfect Drell memory, she relived the fight in her mind, recalling the layout of the ship, the endless groups of mercs she had to fight against, Liara's pain….and him, the Shadow Broker. The multi-eyed Yog glared at her with its many incisors. The primitive pre-flight species seemed just as intelligent and deceiving as the Illusive Man himself. With all three weapons poised at him, the Yog sat perfectly calm and collective. She could recall clearly her Asari friend's words as the blue female bantered with the being. Even though the Yog was addressing Dr. T'soni as he spoke, Shepard knew in some sadistic way, he was really addressing her. "You travel with fascinating companions, doctor. It's good that you brought, Archangel, T'soni. Your friend's bounty is still unclaimed." The being's cold black eyes glanced over at Garrus.

Opening her eyes, Shepard could still see the memory before her, her Turian lover glancing her way quickly before reloading his pistol. His stance unchanging, but his avian like blue eyes betraying his true emotions. Without questioning, they both automatically assumed that the Shadow Broker had been keeping tabs on Commander Shepard and her team, long before she became a Spectre. That was the broker's business, to keep ahead of his enemies with information. However, why would he casually throw his knowledge of Garrus out like that? It didn't matter to Liara….and she was his true foe.

As she repeated the Yog's sickening words over and over, she began to realize his true intention! The Shadow Broker had a failsafe….he released the information out before she even got to him!

Quickly turning the faucet off, Shepard stepped out of the shower and felt the room's cool interior air blowing against her skin, sending a shiver up her body. She haphazardly dried off as she walked into her room to change back to her outfit.

Working her arm through the sleeve, she tapped a few buttons on the ship's internal comm. System. "Joker, how far to the next comm buoy?" She tried her best to disguise the urgency and fear in her voice.

"Uh...one hour, Commander!" The young pilot's voice replied back seconds later.

"I'll be in the ship's workout room. Notify me immediately once we are in within range!"

"Aye, aye. Joker out." Shepard didn't wait for his reply as she swiftly walked out of the room towards the elevator.

"No messages for you, Commander," The Yeoman, Kelly Chambers, greeted Shepard, but then stopped seeing the Commander's unorthodox appearance.

Blushing a little from embarrassment, Shepard quickly smoothed down her short pants and fixed her hair. "Yes, I was going to work out, Kelly," She smiled nervously before hurrying towards the door that led from the CIC on the second floor towards the other end of the ship where the workout room was.

"Oh, Commander!" The red head called out to her.

"Damnit…just a few seconds more…" Shepard cursed silently before she whirled back around with a somewhat forced smile. "What is it?"

"Well…" Kelly's bright green eyes looked downwards. "My job is to assess the crew's psychological profiles especially post battle."

Lifting her hand to quickly silence her, Shepard spoke out soothingly, "Relax, Kelly. I'm fine."

"Not you, Commander. I'm more concerned about Garrus. I ran into him at the Mess Hall. He seems rather tense….even worse than when he received the news about Sidonis. I tried to arrange a talking session with him, but he declined both my attempts. Perhaps you will have better luck with him?" The amber haired Commander shifted a bit uncomfortably by the woman's request, but relaxed a bit realizing that it was a purely innocent and naïve.

"I'm sure he's fine, Kelly. "

Panting hard, wiping the sweat off her brow, Shepard stopped from the intense workout. Her muscles ached even more as they pleaded for a few hours of rest. "EDI, what's the count now?" Shepard looked up at the ceiling to address the ship's on board AI.

"Fifty targets, Commander. You have surpassed level twelve." The female tone A1 responded nonchalantly.

"Okay…" Shepard stood back up in her hand to hand combat stance. "Give me level thirteen with a decrease in atmospheric temperature."

"Specify."

"I want the red zone for Noveria's climate." Shepard clenched her fists.

"Shepard, judging by your heart rate and oxygen level, I highly recommend a lower level and not that temperature."

"EDI…" The tall slender woman furrowed her brow. "What did I say about overriding my commands?"

"Very well, Commander…program launch sequence in ten seconds."

Nodding her head in acknowledgement, Shepard stared straight ahead knowing that any second the room would be filled with holographic forms of mercs. However, this time, the wave never came. "EDI, what's going on?" Shepard groaned in frustration.

"There has been a pause in the program from an outside user." The AI replied.

Hearing the door behind her whish open, the Commander glanced over, expecting to find Miranda or Jacob. "I know Cerberus has tabs on me….but…" She stopped in mid sentence when Garrus stood there with an inquisitive look on his face. "Garrus…" Her words caught up in her throat as she turned away to take off the weighted gloves.

"Always up for sparring, huh, Commander?" The grey Turian teased as he walked over.

"Just needed to clear my head." His lover's brown eyes glanced over his way as he approached.

"Me too…thought I would come down here…guess you had the same idea as me." Garrus put up a fake smile.

"Then I should let you work out, Garrus." Nodding her head, Shepard stepped around him to exit the training room.

"I thought you wouldn't mind sparring with me, Commander?" Garrus called after her.

"Not now, Garrus…I still have the battle in my mind…"

"About what he said?" The Turian tilted his head. "So what if a few bounty hunters come after me? I think if I can take on the Collectors and the Geth….a few overly paid Krogan won't even take down my shields."

"Damnit, Garrus…what were you thinking on Omega?" Shepard snapped back hard.

"I'm sick of injustice, Shepard, you knew that about me from when we first met. I wouldn't stand by and let Saren disgrace my people and I wouldn't let Sidonis get away from what he did to my men. Omega is filled with lowlifes and I couldn't let the mercs do what they wanted to the innocent."

"Garrus, the galaxy is always going to be filled with the corrupted exploiting the weak. You cannot change it…"

"I..I know…hell I don't think I even put a dent on Omega…" Her Turian lover lowered his head as his fists remained clenched by his side.

Touching his face softly, Shepard looked up into his eyes. "I won't let them get to you, Garrus…" Her voice softened.

"Shepard…I put my men's lives at stake by being Archangel…I…I don't want anything to happen to you." He leaned down and nuzzled his forehead with hers.

Leaning up, Shepard softly pressed her lips against his, feeling the Turian returning her feelings . At first the kisses were soft and gentle but the troubled emotions between the two broke free as their mouths engulfed one another with fire and intensity. The strained emotions pent up inside had become greater than when he greeted her in her quarters. Feeling his talons press their razor sharp tips against her uniform, Shepard broke free from his mouth, gasping for breath.

"Shepard…" Garrus moaned as he nuzzled her neck, taking in her scent. His hands moving down, lifting her up by her hips, giving her time to wrap her legs around his waist. He carried her over to the wall, his mouth capturing hers.

Slipping her tongue inside his mouth, she caressed his own feeling his sharp teeth barely grazing it. His talons pushing more into her back as he desperately tore at her uniform, his primal violent instincts coming out as their passion rose.

Shifting her body ever so slightly, she maneuvered to help undress herself, giving him the access to her nude body that he so greatly desired. Panting between breaths, she felt his right arm slink back around with the palm of his hand cupping her breast, his talon circling her nipple just as she exposed it. Feeling his touch, a shiver coursed through her body as she began to undress him.

Once they were completely bare, she felt his mouth pressing tightly against hers as he thrusted her body hard against the wall, lining himself up for penetration . Parting her lips a little to cry out from the sudden sharp pain in her head from the impact against the wall, she felt his lips quickly capturing her once again to soothe her, instantly taking the dull pain away.

Gasping sharply, she broke his mouth and moaned hard, feeling himself pushing into her down below. Gripping his arms tightly, she dug her nails into his bony exo-skeleton, making him cry out in a mixture of pain and pleasure.

Churring in an arousal state, Garrus thrusted his hips forward, pushing deeper, his mouth moving down to her neck and shoulder, blowing hot breath onto her soft skin. His talons scraping along her back as the fire burned, gently breaking the skin.

Feeling his rhythm deep within, Shepard's eyes rolled back as a wave of pleasure hit her. Leaning forward, she ran her tongue up his neck, leaving a trail of saliva as she panted, feeling her orgasm building . Burying her head against his shoulder, she muffled her moans to make sure that no one in her crew overheard the two's "sparring."

Groaning loudly as he came towards his own climax, the Turian slammed her soft body against the wall once more as his hips furiously thrusted, his mouth now at her shoulder; his mandibles spread wider as his jaws opened to breathe heavy, his teeth grazing her skin. Faster and faster he went…till suddenly he lodged his teeth into her skin, biting her flesh, his moans becoming muffled. The teeth broke the skin and began to push through into the muscles, blood oozing down in small trails. Gritting her teeth to suppress the pain and her orgasm, Shepard closed her eyes till she felt her lover's release.

Slowing down, Garrus removed his teeth, leaving several puncture holes. "Sorry…" He panted softly before moving his head down and gently lapped up the blood to clean the wound.

Smiling softly, Shepard's fingers delicately stroked his fringe, watching him. "I'll make sure that Dr. Chakwas patches that up."

"What will you tell her?" A coy smile spread across the Turian's lips.

"Varren attack." Shepard grinned.