Survivor

Chapter 11

Shepard
  I cursed as I ran into a chair on the way out of the bathroom and I could feel Garrus' gaze on me as I move toward the door to the hallway, where I know he's waiting.
  "I can help-"
  I shook my head immediately and set my jaw. "No. I need to learn this place if we're going to live here. I'll do that better on my own, it'll make me memorize it faster."
  I heard Garrus sigh and imagined him shaking his head, which made a smile tug at my lips.
  "You like making me worry over you, don't you?"
  I chuckled softly and tried to not lose my concentration. I was so close, but the baby steps were killing me.
  "Go downstairs if it bothers you so much."
  He let out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, yes, how about I record your tumbling around down the stairs just to relive the stress since I love it so much?"
  I reached out and he took my hand. "You worry too much sometimes."
  I felt his breath on my neck just before he nuzzled his way up to my ear. "That's because I know what I could lose. Especially after I've lost you before."
  I turned my head so my lips found his and kissed him softly. "You'll never lose me again if I can help it."
  "Nor if I can help it. You're too precious for me to let go of..."
  I smiled and tugged at his hand. "Come on, Romeo. Let's go get breakfast."
  "I'll never understand all the references you make, will I?"
  I grinned. "Maybe one day in the far, far future."
  He hummed his thoughtfulness before he replied. "As long as I know there's going to be a long future for us, I'm okay with that."
I let out a soft laugh and started down the hall, fully aware of Garrus right behind me. I knew something was a bit off about him, but didn't feel it was the right time to ask. Maybe when he was cornered at breakfast.
Him and I had been a bit more attuned to each other even before I went blind, but that seemed to force me to be more aware of slight differences in him, which almost made me feel strange.
I knew he was well attuned to me, too. He seemed to appear right when I felt frustrated or despaired, ready to calm me down or comfort me. It continued to surprise me and I couldn't help but to love it.
Garrus stopped me a bit before I thought we were going to go down the stairs to get in front of me. "This way I'll catch you if you happen to lose your footing. Probably purposefully so I'll feel good about saving your ass..."
I let out a hearty laugh and reached out to find his shoulder. He took my hand and pressed my knuckles to his lips in a kiss before he laid it back on his shoulder and let me use him as an estimation on the way down the stairs.
We both knew I did it to make him feel better, but I was happy with the idea of making him happy by letting him help. Especially after I made him watch me crash through our room on the way out to the hall and him.
I smelled breakfast halfway down the stairs and by the time we reached the bottom, it was intoxicating. "What's for breakfast?"
"Bacon, eggs, hash browns and pancakes for you along with coffee. The blood of our enemies for me."
I let out a disapproving scoff and smacked him lightly on the arm but I couldn't help the laugh that slipped out as I shook my head. "Real nice, Garrus. That really makes a girl want a kiss."
He let out a low chuckle. "What? It never seemed to bother you before..."
I rolled my eyes but said nothing, just let him guide me to the table and he described the setup in front of me as I roamed my hand lightly over top of it.
  I sat down and waited for Garrus to settle into his seat, so when I heard him stop moving, I slowly found a fork, my fingertips brushing over the tip to assure myself it was right before I moved to find my plate.
  Garrus was quiet, probably watching me to see how I was getting along, but I just decided to concentrate on what I was doing instead of bothering him about some staring he may not even be doing.
  My fork found some food and I stabbed it and brought it to my mouth, praying it was something I liked as I did so. Then again I was never horribly picky after living on the streets eating scraps before I joined the Alliance.
  Luckily it wasn't anything horribly exotic, just eggs and I began to chew and listened to Garrus finally start to work on his own breakfast.
  "So when are you going to start your work at C-Sec," I asked as I found more food with my fork.
  "I was hoping that I could start tomorrow, depending on how you're doing... And of course let them know I have to be on a flexible schedule to help out and be there for your appointments..."
  I smiled at him. "Why not today? I'm not delicate or helpless, Garrus. I'll be fine on my own."
  He chuckled and I could feel his eyes on me. "Well C-Sec doesn't work quite that fast anyways, even with some connections. They've still got to prepare my ID cards and reinstate my original account under a different section. Besides, I would like to spend the day here with you, anyways."
  I shrug. "Okay, but there's not much to do here with me."
  "You know I never mind if we just spend time together in silence. I'm happy with even that."
  I smiled warmly at him and continued to eat my breakfast.
  I couldn't help but wonder how I got so lucky as to have an amazing person not only on my team, watching my six, but loving and supporting me, despite my claims of independence and needing no help in my personal life.
  I tried to be that steady rock for everyone, rarely stopping to think about myself, and then came Garrus, it seemed. Ready to be that for me, despite rank, which most people would have been intimidated by. He knew me, watched silently and grew to see when I  needed that helping hand I would never ask for.
  He must have seen the small smile that played on my lips and the distant look on my face, because I felt his hand lay over mine and trace circles with his thumb. I smiled at him and let my eyes slip shut.
  "You okay?"
  I opened my eyes and nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
  I could feel him watching me still as I went to work searching for the pancakes and I couldn't help myself anymore.
  "What's bothering you, Garrus? You've been awfully... Watchful this morning."
  "I can't appreciate the view? Damn, when did that happen?"
  I shook my head at his attempt to make a joke of it and I raised a brow at him.
  Garrus sighed in resignation. "You were having some pretty nasty nightmares last night. It almost seemed like you were going to scream and I know that nothing makes that happen easily... I couldn't do anything... You wouldn't wake up at first."
  I was shocked and racked my memory for what could have been the nightmare and reason for the distress but nothing came to mind.
  "You finally woke after ten minutes of trying. It didn't seem like you knew what the fuss was, you were hardly lucid enough. You just laid in my arms and went back to sleep like nothing happened. The only sign was the sweat..."
  I sighed and shut my eyes. "I'm sorry, Garrus."
  "Don't apologize, Samantha. I'm here for those moments. Remember I told you I would walk through hell with you."
  I nodded and took his hand that laid on mine into mine and squeezed it slightly. "I'm okay. I promise."
  He squeezed my hand back and I knew he wouldn't believe me- not even I believed myself fully- but he hummed his ascent to my answer to his unspoken question.
   I'm okay as long as I'm with you, I thought as I chewed on my breakfast and the news of the nightmare last night.

((A/N: Hey guys! So really the updates should be coming faster than they are considering my lack of a life (Jk!) But I'm working on two books at once here! There's editing to be done because alas, despite the errors that turn up, I am indeed a perfectionist when it comes to writing lol only books though! Anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying this read so far!!!
  Oh! And Ohmigosh I just saw today that Surivor has over 200 reads?!?! You guys are AMAZING! Thank y'all so much for your reads!
  Don't forget to vote and comment! Thanks again!!!))