The Hybrid |Garrus | Mass Effect ✔

The Hybrid: Chapter Nine

Shepard stepped into the steaming shower, her body relaxing as the streams of water hit her skin. She was happy to be back on the Normandy, back in her own room with a shower and a bed. Three days in a turian prison wasn't awful but it wasn't necessarily pleasant either. With her eyes closed, she stood against the wall as the heat treated her body like a much needed hug. Though it didn't stop her mind from wondering to the mission at hand. No matter what she was doing, the thought of the Alliance betraying her ate away at her. She frowned, opening her eyes to stop the constant thoughts. She got herself off of the shower wall, cleaning her body, scrubbing away three days worth of dirt and grim. As she scrubbed her arms, she pressed down harder, gritting her teeth as the pain from the scrub brush began to break through her skin. Her body shook and she found herself screaming. She threw the scrub brush and quickly sat down on the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, allowing the hot water hit her open sore; she ignored the stinging sensation as tears filled her eyes.

All of this was overwhelming her.

She felt like she was to blame somehow. She thought back to when she witnessed Garrus kill the doctor. Point blank to the head. She watched the man fall. She witnessed the blood splatter of his brains on the walls and the ceiling of the underground bunker. Now there was a new doctor, possibly just following the old doctor's shoes. Shepard wasn't too sure about it, though. Why would the Alliance do something like this? If the Reapers kill everyone off and if she fails her mission what was the point of this? What was the doctor getting at? The Reapers we're out to destroy them, so what was the point of crossbreeding aliens?

When the water began to get a bit colder, Shepard got up and turned the water off. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel that hung on the towel rack. She wrapped it around her body, slipping on her slippers that were placed beside the door and walked to her closet to get dressed into something comfortable. They were heading back to the Citidel for a little R and R before shit hits the fan with the Alliance. It was only a matter of time before they would contact Shepard to have her ship docked. She sighed at the bitter thought, her stomach tightening in fear of what would happen to her crew. She knew Anderson had her back just as he had for all these years. It worried Shepard that even Anderson couldn't change the Councils mind.

Knock, knock.

The sudden knock on her door caused her to jump. She quickly slipped on her shirt and jacket, putting her slippers back on, before rushing to the door to see who it was. She prayed to whatever God or goddess was out there that it wasn't terrible news. She wanted to relax for the night and go out for drinks when she got on the Citidel. She didn't want to deal with anything else.

"Come in!" She called out.

The door opened with Garrus standing there with a bottle in his talons.

"I thought you'd like some company."

"Sure." Shepard gave Garrus a small smile. Shepard gathered the wine glasses as Garrus went and took a seat at the small table in the corner. He was nervous about being alone with Shepard, as his mind had been running all day about telling Shepard how he felt about her before things really took the wrong turn. He wasn't sure what the Alliance was going to do, nor what his own people would do. Garrus fumbles with getting the bottle of wine open, glancing between the bottle and Shepard and sees a look of worry on her face. He frowned.

"I'm glad to be back but..." Shepard sighed.

"Worried?"

"The Alliance is teaming up with that piece of shit." Shepard growed. She put her head in her hands, her fingers clamping down onto her scalp and her nails digging in. Garrus poured a small amount of wine into the glass, his stomach twisting into knots.

"I know. I'm not too happy about it either."

He put the twisting cap back onto the wine bottle. Garrus nudged the glass of wine closer to his friend, urging her to drink. He wanted to help her calm down. His mind thought about what he could do to help her while they were boarded at the Citidel and he was beginning to worry that admitting his feeling to her would cause her to lose her mind. He poured himself a brought the glass to his mandables, taking a small sip.

"I know things will be alright," Garrus reached his hand out. Shepard looked up, glancing at his hand and back at him. Shepard wasn't sure on what to do: she wanted his comfort but she was scared of committing. She has never dated an alien race... in fact she never dated at all. But she did find comfort in Garrus.

"How can you know, Garrus?" She muttered. She glanced away from him, his hand slowly retracting back to his side. She was uncomfortable, her mind muddled. The Council couldn't have betrayed them like they did. They must have ordered the Alliance to go forth with this project. Shepard blinked when her vision became blurred and Garrus noticed the tear rolling down her cheak. He frowned, pushing the seat back. Garrus walked over to the side of the table, kneeling down in front of Shepard.

Shepard looked away again. She didn't want him to see her weak. He had several times over the last two years by now but still, it was hard for her to embrace her emotions. She was a Navy brat. She didn't have time to have emotions half of the time.

"We will fix this. When we find that doctor I will personally tear him into two. You know that," Garrus held his breath as he brought his hand to her shoulder.

"How?" Shepard snapped. She jerked her body away from Garrus. She was sitting up straight now against her chair. Her face was red, sweat beading in her forehead. Garrus stood again, not sure what his actions should be. Shepard sighed, looking down to her feet and shook her head. She brought her fingers through her hair, muttering an apology to her friend.

"The Council just want to see hope in the horizon. They have their backs against a wall, Shepard," Garrus stood, feeling a little hurt from Shepard's actions. He tried to keep in mind that she was in pain as well; all of this must be hard for her to accept. Shepard shook her head as her thoughts flooded again. She turned to the table, grabbing the glass of wine and brought it to her lips, drinking it all in one gulp.

She placed the glass down, thinking about what she was going to say next. She knew that Garrus meant well and she wanted nothing more than to confide in him. She glanced up at him, seeing the look of confusion in his eyes. She stared down at the base of the glass, her mind thinking of what to do next. She turned her attention towards Garrus, opening her mouth to say something. Instead, Garrus had taken the initiative. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close to him. Shepard was shocked but being close to him helped her head stop overthinking. She felt close to Garrus. She thought of the time when they cuddled together before they left on the mission.

"Garrus-"

"Shepard," He put his hand against her cheek, his eyes holding her gaze for a moment longer. Garrus leaned down, not sure what to do. He had seen videos of humans and aliens romance but he was scared to do it. Shepard swallowed hard; she was nervous, too. She never had time for romance, always being wrapped in the missions, saving people, and killing others. But to her, it felt right to be with Garrus. Her heart was racing along with his. It felt wrong but it also felt right. Surely other humans have been with Turians by now, haven't they?

Garrus brought his forehead closer to hers, letting their foreheads touch. Their breath was mixing together, making the urge to kiss each other worse. Shepard looked away from Garrus, her throat becoming dry. Garrus wondered what a kiss would feel like from a human.

"You mean a lot to me," Shepard whispered, "I don't want–"

Before Shepard could finish her thoughts, Garrus closed the gap by kissing her. The best way he could with his face plates. Shepard wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing Garrus back with everything that she had. Shepard never wanted to let Garrus go. Ever.