Silence is Golden

A/N: This is actually my first bit of Mass Effect fan fiction. (I have written other stuff, just nothing video game related.) I want to apologize real quick for the start sounding similar to that of the other GarrusxFemShepard fic, Normandy Leave. I had not read that story before I started this, and was not influenced by it in any way. Again, my apologies. As always, Read, Review, and Enjoy!


It was late at night on the Normandy, with most of its crew fast asleep in their bunks. Some dreamed of home, others dreamed of fame and fortune, and yet others still dreamed of darker things. Commander Shepard, however, wasn’t dreaming at all. Instead, she was staring at the ceiling of her quarters in a vain attempt to catch some rest. It had been only two months ago that Shepard, along with her friends and crew, managed to finally stop Saren and the threat he and the Reapers imposed on the galaxy. And now, after a couple of weeks of various missions, the Commander and her ship were finally making its way bay to the Citadel to give a first-hand report. Of course, what Jane was looking forward to most was a chance to finally get off her ship and not be charging head-first into a battle. Looking over to the clock on her table, she saw that it was 3 in the morning. Sighing, she decided she’d make better use of her time contemplating a cup of coffee.

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Garrus yawned as he made his rounds for the third time that night during his watch. As per usual, his shift was uneventful. Only the quiet hums and beeps of the ship kept him company as he patrolled the halls. His mind continued to wander from their last mission, to the condition of his guns and weather or not they would need another cleaning. However, something was different this time as he passed the mess area...he could smell something delicious. Peeking his head in, Garrus saw his own captain sitting at one of the tables, sipping a cup of coffee. He could tell that she was contemplating something, probably going through the list of supplies they would have to pick up on the Citadel tomorrow at the start of their one-day shore leave.

Garrus smiled inwardly. Even in the quiet cold of the night, the Commander seemed to always have a certain warmth about her. He'd never admit, but he had a small crush on her ever since he first met her in the med clinic. This surprised him, since she was a human, unlike himself. However, as time went on, he found himself enjoying her company more and more. He felt much more at ease when Jane would keep him company as he fixed the Mako or cleaned his guns. In fact it wasn't until after Saren's defeat that he released that-

"Commander Shepard?" Garrus spoke, interrupting that train of thought immediately.

"It's your shift, huh, Garrus?" Jane looked over to him, fully clad in his power armor in case an attack was to occur.

"Yeah, it's the fourth time this week, too." Garrus gave a small smile. "I don't know why your crew thinks that just because I'm an alien, I can go days with little sleep."

Jane grinned and motioned over to the coffee pot. "Come on in and have a cup then, you look like crap...for a Turian...I think."

Garrus rolled his eyes and accepted the open invitation for a cup of caffeinated joy. Setting his assault rifle on the table, Garrus quickly fetched himself a cup, before sitting down from across his commander. "So, what are you doing up so late?" The marksman asked as he sat down, placing his rifle on the table nearby.

"Can't sleep," she stated, running a finger across the rim of her cup.

"Again?"

"This has been only the second time this week Garrus. That last fight on Eden Prime just has me riled up, that’s all."

"If you don't mind me saying," Garrus stated betweens sips. "I think it already is a problem. You've barely slept this last week. I'm starting to get worried..."

"It’s only been two days I’ve gone without sleep, Garrus. I've been able to lead just fine despite that. You've seen me, Garrus; I can handle myself well enough in battle. Besides, I have training for surviving with little sleep. Why are you so worried, anyway?"

"Well, you're my friend, right?" Garrus said, trying to hide the bit of insincerity in his voice.

"Yeah," Shepard responded, too tired to notice. They both went silent after that for a while. Each taking advantage of it to drink their coffee.

However, silence can be a powerful thing. Silence gives a person time to think clearly, free from distractions and noise. Just a moment of silence, a moment to think clearly can impact a person's life forever. And think was exactly what Garrus did. 'Because you're my friend' was not what he wanted to say, and he knew it all too well. He had almost lost her when they had to protect the Citadel from the Reapers. And now, Garrus found it harder and harder for him to tell her the truth the past two months; yet at the same time, that's all he wanted to do. With every mission, he feared that he may loose her again before he’d ever get the chance to hold her in his arms, to ki-

"Garrus?" This time, it was she that stopped his train of thought. "Why did you decide to stay here on the Normandy, anyway?"

Garrus nearly choked on his coffee. His mind began to run faster than he could keep up. Before he knew it, he blurted out the words he always wanted to say, but couldn't.

"Because I love you."

Jane sat that for a moment, stunned at Garrus' words. "What..?"

It was too late for him to take it back though. He had said it. Summoning up what little courage he had, he spoke again, the words feeling so familiar on his Turian lips, yet sounded so foreign to his ears.

"Because I love you."

Garrus looked at her, waiting, hoping she would say something, anything at all. But Jane was at a loss for words. She had thought about their relationship before, yes. But not like this. She felt close to the alien after all their missions against Saren, true, but was it love? She wasn't even sure if it was just friendship she felt towards the Turian. Was it more?

"I...I don't know what to tell you, Garrus." She looked away, anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Please, Jane..." He reached across the table, gently turning her head with his finger-like appendage until her nervous eyes met his. "Give me a chance,” he begged her. “One date?"

Jane couldn't help but smile. "One date, Garrus, okay?"

Garrus nodded. "How about tomorrow evening, since we'll be on shore leave over night anyway?"

"Alright, after we finish the rounds."

Garrus seemed ecstatic as he picked up the rifle. "I promise to make it a night you'll never forget!" He called back as he went back to his patrol.

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“Wait, he actually asked you out? Garrus, ‘Mr. I-Like-Shooting-More-Than Women’ actually asked you out on a date?” Joker could barely contain his laughter when Shepard had told him what was going on that morning.

“I suggest you stop laughing, unless you would like to clean the Normandy tonight instead of enjoying your shore leave.”

“Heh, heh, yes Commander,” Joker tried to say through stifled laughter. Jane could only roll her eyes at her pilot’s immaturity.

“Well, it’s just odd that he’d be the one you would hook up with,” Joker explained as soon as he calmed down enough. “You two can be very different, you know. He’s long-range, you’re up-close and personal. You go by the book more so than Garrus would ever like to…well, not that much more. What do you see in him, anyway?”

“May I remind you, that he is the one that asked me out, not the other way around?”

“You’re not answering my questing, Commander.” Joker’s comment was met with a joking glare.

“Well, I do enjoy his stories about C-Sec,” Jane finally confessed, hoping to satisfy his probing question.

“Everyone enjoys his stories,” Joker retorted.

“That’s all the answers you’re going to get, officer.”

“Fine, fine,” Joker sighed. “We’re arriving at the Citadel in ten minutes; do you want me to patch you through the com to announce it?”

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The errands that had to be done, while few, seemed to take way too long to finish. Food supplies had to be ordered for their departure the next day. Reports had to be given to various officers and civilian that had requested the Spectre’s services; not to mention the countless other chores that had to be completed while on the Citadel. However, by early afternoon, everything was finished. Without another moment to spare, Shepard made her way back to the Normandy to shower and change into her civilian clothes. By the time she walked out of her quarters to go find her date, Garrus was waiting by her door, in a civilian set of his own. Jane couldn’t help but notice how well Garrus filled the black shirt he wore. The outfit was completed by blue pants similar to her own, and shoes made for more casual Turian wear; Garrus was definitely easy on the eyes.

“Hello, Commander,” Garrus greeted her with a grin.

“Where did you get that civilian outfit?” Jane couldn’t help but ask. “I’ve never seen you in it before.”

“The guys apparently picked it up for me earlier today,” he replied with a chuckle. “I found it by my locker when we got back from running errands.”

“I guess the crew decided you don’t need to be wearing your armor out on a date,” she joked.

“You have a point, shall we then?” Garrus held out a hand in gentlemanly fashion. Jane smiled and took it.

“So, anywhere in particular you want to go have dinner?” Garrus asked as they exited the Normandy.

“Well, there is this really great Thai place I know of, if you like spicy food,” she recommended to him as they walked to the elevator leading away from the dock into C-Sec.

“Sure,” Garrus replied. “I haven’t had Thai in months.”

The Thai food was delicious. As they shared their meal, they traded embarrassing stories of their days with C-Sec and the Alliance. Jane quickly found herself having a good time with her alien companion, laughing as recounted a tale of turning the tables on a prank his buddies had attempted. Jane never realized how charming the Turian was, or how handsome…Jane couldn’t help but wonder if it was indeed love she felt for that man. After Garrus paid for the bill (no matter how much Jane insisted) Garrus thought it would be fun to head over to Flux for a drink, and maybe some dancing.

Loud electronic music blared as they entered the Flux, hand in hand. Jane couldn’t help but move a little to the beat of the dance music as they sat down at the bar and ordered drinks.

“So, Garrus?” Jane couldn’t help but ask. “Have you ever been with any women before?”

“I did some dating back in C-Sec,” Garrus confessed. “Some of my fellow officers back in the early days would try to hook me up with women, just so I could get laid. They claimed I was too uptight; some excuse, really. That didn’t always go over so well, though. Half the women didn’t enjoy my military stories, others weren’t even aware they just got hooked up with a Turian; they left as soon as they saw me.”

“Harsh, but did you ever get any action?” Jane’s curiosity was peaked by that point.

“Sometimes, one time I could have sworn this one chick was a professional-“ Jane raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, never mind. How about you, Jane, did you ever do any dating back in the academy?”

“Not really, I’ll be honest. Most of the guys in my unit were asses that couldn’t woo a woman if they were his mother.”

Garrus couldn’t help but laugh at the insult. “What about men in the other units?”

“All the decent ones were either married or dating. To be honest, this is the first date I’ve been on in 3 years.”

By then, the alcohol was starting to warm their bodies and their moods even more so. Jane was once again starting to notice how handsome the Turian marksman actually was. This in turn, caused a warm feeling to begin between her legs, a feeling which she tried to ignore.

“How about a dance?” Garrus asked as he finished his drink.

“Why not?” Shepard replied, finishing her own before getting up to join him.

A song with a faster beat began to play as Garrus and Jane stepped onto the dance floor. Making their way to a more open spot next to a wall, Jane and Garrus began to dance to the hypnotic tune. Soon, the two lost themselves to the almost primal beat. With each change of song, they found themselves getting closer and closer, as if the music was revealing their true intentions. They moved to the beat of the heavy music, joining a sea of moving bodies dancing to a single rhythm.

In what seemed to be a moment of fate, a random dancer accidentally bumped into Shepard as they passed, causing her to fall back against the wall. In a vain attempt to catch her, Garrus instead found himself hanging over her, hand planted against the wall, his face mere inches from her own. Grey eyes met his, his body so close to hers. Feelings met and clashed within their hearts, coming to the same conclusion. As if synchronized, they closed the distance, lips meeting lips and soft skin meeting hard scale in a romantic, but strange, kiss. After what seemed an eternity of bliss, they finally parted.

“Garrus, I’ve realized something; I-” He silenced her with another kiss.

“I know,” he whispered before taking her in his arms and seizing her lips once more. Gently, Garrus parted her lips with his tongue, meeting hers in an erotic battle. Jane couldn’t help but let out a soft moan as he won over her mouth and began to explore his prize. Instinctively, Jane pressed against him more, needing to be closer to her newfound lover. Garrus, though, was the wiser of the two, and gently broke the kiss.

“We should probably find someplace more private if we want to take this any further,” he told her. “Unless you want to get arrested for public indecency.” Jane nodded, realizing that that wonderful feeling had moved down between her legs.

Taking her hand, Garrus lead her out of the club and back to C-Sec, nodding to the guard as they loaded into the elevator. As it began its ascent, Garrus pulled Jane into his arms, kissing her once more. Their tongues played, their need for each other rising along with the elevator. It was then that Jane had remembered reading in an article once that because of their protective shell-like scales that served as their mouth and lips, Turian lovers preferred using their tongue to express affection, many becoming masters of the appendage. She could already tell that Garrus was no exception, the way he plundered her own mouth.

The elevator ride ended almost too soon for Shepard. Doing their best to contain themselves, Garrus and Jane boarded the Normandy, and made a beeline for her quarters. Ignoring the few people that were still on board, Jane and Garrus entered her room and locked the door behind them. Without another moment to spare, he was on her again, pressing his hard body against hers, kissing her with even greater passion.

Garrus had to touch her, had to feel as much of her as possible. He ran a hand through her silky red hair, holding her head gently as he other hand ran over her back, down her sides, to grip her firm ass. Garrus parted the kiss and growled, squeezing her butt almost possessively before he dipped his head to lick her jaw. Her skin tasted like heaven to him, and he craved to taste more of her before the night was over.

Jane let out a soft moan as he licked affectionately at her throat. Moving his hands, he unzipped her jacket, revealing a sleeveless black t-shirt underneath. Not stopping there, Garrus stopped his assault to lift up Jane’s shirt, revealing more creamy skin, and a sexy black silk bra. The jacket and shirt were removed and tossed aside immediately. Giving Jane another Turian kiss, he slipped the straps of her bra down, moving to taste the skin revealed to him. Jane let out another moan as he gently massaged a mound with one hand, reaching around to unclasp her bra with the other. When it dropped, he was left in awe. The breasts endowed on the woman he loved were perfect; there was no other way to put it. They weren’t ridiculously large like the whores and strippers found at Chora’s Den, or small like so many other human women he had slept with. No, they were just the right size in his eyes. Unable to resist, he moved, taking one of her rosy nipples in his mouth.

“Garrus,” she moaned out as he began to caress her nipple with his tongue. One hand caressed her strong back, as the over played with her other nipple. His motions and touches were driving her wild with lust. He flicked her nipple playfully, pinching the other gently before caressing it once more. His tongue now moved to lick the underside of her breast, causing her to gasp at the sudden warmth at a little-touched place. She barely noticed his hands moving down…grasping her ass, unbuttoning her pants. Garrus stopped his tortuous caresses and finished the job, letting them drop to reveal a pair of matching silk panties.

“Shepard, I- Please, let me show you how much you mean to me.” Letting her step out of her pants and remove her boots, he then led her over to the bed, making her sit at the edge. He gave her a bit of a grin as she sat down.

“Looks like you have me at a disadvantage, Commander,” Garrus teased. “You’re already almost undressed.” Garrus winked at her, before removing his shirt. Jane was pleased at the view before her. While hard scales covered much of his upper chest in an almost armor-like fashion, the scales were smaller at his stomach, easily revealing the hard abs that came with C-Sec training. Before Shepard even had a chance to touch, however, Garrus kneeled down in front over, caressing his lover’s sides as he licked at the skin of her lower stomach. Jane sighed and gently held his head as he continued downward, darting his tongue into her navel, causing her to gasp. Garrus lovingly stroked her thighs, getting close to her clothed core before moving away again.

Garrus licked lower, until he reached her panties, already wet with her need. Gently, almost teasingly, he ran a finger over the cloth, causing her to shiver and moan at the contact. Smiling, he began to stroke her lips through the cloth, watching her moan and shiver with each touch. Soon, he replaced his finger with his tongue, causing her to grab his head and cry out his name in pleasure. Garrus licked her pussy lips through the material, being careful not to touch her aching bud. He did this several times before finally pressing his tongue there, causing her to cry out from the sudden pleasure that rushed through her. Garrus stopped for a moment, hooking a finger into her panties and pulling them down, throwing them some random direction.

“Wow,” was really the best way Garrus could describe the view before him. Read hair framed stunning platinum eyes and soft lips. Creamy breasts were accented by rosy peaks, silky curves lead down to creamy thighs and rich red curls, hiding her greatest secrets. He never knew that the human woman he loved was so beautiful.

Garrus smiled before opening Jane’s legs wider, before moving to lick her pussy once more. Slowly, he explored her, tasting her every bit of her sweet core, before dipping his tongue into her, causing a loud moan. Jane sighed in pleasure as Garrus began to fuck her with his tongue. Making sure not to leave her clit unattended, he moved his hand and started to massage the peeking nub with the tip of his finger, causing more waves of pleasure. The pleasure Garrus was giving her was all too much, she could feel herself getting close to orgasm. Garrus could sense it too, the way she began to close around his tongue. Quickly, he began to lick her bud furiously, now stroking her quivering lips with his finger. He wanted his lover to cum so that he could taste her sweet juices; make her moan the way he had dreamed about for so long.

It didn’t take much before Jane toppled over the edge, falling back on the bed and hanging onto Garrus’ head for dear life as wave after wave of unbridled pleasure wracked through her. She moaned his name over and over as he lapped at her juices, savoring the salty taste that was uniquely hers as he brought her down from her high. Finally, Garrus stood up, staring at his lover as she laid there at the foot of her bed tired, but with that gentle afterglow.

“Jane, I need to ask you something. I love you very much, but I won’t take this any further if you don’t want me to.”

Jane smiled. “Garrus, if I didn’t want this, I wouldn’t have let you come into my quarters in the first place.”

Garrus nodded and stared as his lover as he kicked off his boots. He let his eyes roam her curvaceous body as he unbutton his trousers, his hard cock feeling a little looser now that there wasn’t so much restraining him. Jane bit her lip as Garrus finished removing the offending cloth, showing that Garrus was a briefs man. Slowly, he removed those as well, revealing his very humanoid-like member. Tiny scales covered the soft skin of his manhood, accentuated by one large testicle hanging underneath.

Jane pushed herself back onto the bed as Garrus pulled a condom out of one of the pockets in his pants. Jane figured that the crew must have given him those, as well. A smile on his face, he opened the package and pulled the rubber on, before climbing on top of his lover. Without wasting a moment, he kissed her again. Jane could taste herself as he plundered her mouth, and it only made her hotter. Steadily, Garrus guided himself to Jane’s entrance, breaking the kiss to look her in the eyes. He could tell she needed him, to be with him, to be fucked by him, and Garrus was more than happy to take care of her needs.

“I love you,” he whispered, before plunging himself into her and letting out a grunt of approval. His commander was not a virgin, that much was clear. However, he could tell by her tightness and warmth that she had been without a lover for what was probably years. He could not help himself but to stay still and savor the feel of his hard cock buried deep inside of the woman he fantasized about for so long. He kissed her gently as he began to slowly move within her, savoring her rosy lips with his tongue as he thrust. It was not long before Jane began to give small moans of approval, holding onto his shoulders to beg for more. Garrus obliged her, and began to thrust faster, grunting louder from the incredible feeling.

“Garrus,” Jane moaned as she began to gently thrust with him, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him into her harder, faster. She could feel herself nearing her second orgasm of the night, and she craved for him to feel every bit of it. Her moans grew louder as she gained that second peak, her thrusts getting harder as she tried to urge on her own need. She shut her eyes as she moved with him, her sweet cunt beginning to throb and swell in her ecstasy. Garrus let out another approving grunt, meeting his lover with every stroke. He moved one arm to cup her sweet ass, pulling her into him ever harder.

“Cum for me, Jane,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. Jane’s eyes snapped open at the words, the rest of the world fading away as she reached her own peak. She trembled beneath Garrus and yelled out his name as she came, his thrusts getting more frantic as he neared his own orgasm. He moaned for encouragement as he pounded into her relentlessly, her orgasm bringing him to the edge of his own. With a few more thrusts, he too was sent over, moaning and grunting his lovers name as he shot his own seed into her. Jane rubbed his back as he came down from his own high, both of them sweaty from their lovemaking.

After a moment to catch his breath, Garrus gently pulled out of her and rolled onto his back, pulling the condom off and tossing it into the trash can nearby. Jane, already missing his warmth, curled up against him, draping her leg across his and resting her head against his shoulder. He sighed and curled an arm around her, pulling her closer and stroking her side affectionately. He gently took her hand with his other and put it on his chest, over his heart, which was strangely placed on the opposite side of a humans.

“I love you,” Jane whispered, too tired to do much else. Garrus smiled and gave her forehead a gentle lick.

“I love you, too, Jane.”

Both of them rested in silence, enjoying the sounds of each others heartbeat and the sound of them breathing. The only other sounds to accompany them were the ever-present hums and beeps of the Normandy. They lay in bliss together, the bed seemingly a sanctuary from the wars and troubles of the galaxy.

“Hey Shepard?” Garrus asked after a while. “Does this mean I can get out of the midnight shift now?”

She giggled. “If it means you’ll come sleep with me more often.”

“For you, Commander? Anything.”