Survivor

Chapter 33

Garrus
  When he received the request for him to meet Samantha at the Purgatory bar from a strange Omni-Tool ID code, Garrus was a bit concerned, walking quickly to the elevator.
Different scenarios ran through his head, his heart raced with fear and also the usual excitement he felt when he was about to see her.
She had left on a bad note after her argument with Miranda... And strike against her. He just hoped she had managed to stay out of trouble while he had gotten Miranda back to the ship.
He had chosen that over chasing her, in an attempt to give her space to cool down. Now he hoped it was the right choice.
The elevator arrived at Purgatory and Garrus exited, sliding past other people waiting for the elevator.
He could feel the bass from the club beat through his chest already, and as he entered the club, it only intensified, echoing what his heart was doing.
  He took the stairs at a jog all the way to the top, scanning the area for Samantha.
Garrus let out a relieved breath when he saw her drinking something at the bar, throwing it back easily. Then he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and took in the feeling of her body near his again, as her scent flooded over him.
She tensed up only for a split second before she relaxed and leaned into him. "About time you got here," she teased as she waved another drink over.
"You had me worried as to what happened," Garrus growled into her ear.
He felt a small shiver run through her body and pulled her closer while he tucked his face into the curve of her neck.
"You worry too much, Garrus. Have a drink."
Garrus pressed a kiss to her neck before he took the seat to her left, noticing the new Omni-Tool on her left hand and wrist.
"I thought you weren't supposed to mount a new Omni-Tool until that's healed up."
Samantha shrugged. "It'll be fine. Omni-Tools are kind of essential if you haven't noticed..."
Garrus grunted in disapproval and ordered his drink. "You're not going to be happy until they have to go back and fix that hand up for the second time lately."
Samantha threw back her drink and nodded to his, which was just placed in front of him. "Talk less, drink more."
"Now I see why human males always talk about their women driving them to the bar," Garrus grumbled.
Samantha smirked and quirked a brow at him. "You chose this human woman."
An exasperated sigh left him and he shook his head. "That I did. Spirits, what was I thinking?"
He managed to keep a straight face, but Samantha was onto him.
"Who knows what Turians think? Especially you, Vakarian. If all Turians are as complicated as you, I feel bad for any other human with an eye for Turians..."
Garrus snorted. "We're the complicated ones? You're the ones always throwing yourselves into sticky situations and leaving a mess behind!"
Samantha leaned in close to his ear, making his heart pound faster in his chest before she whispered "but you know your life would be boring without those messes..."
She pulled away with an evil glint in her eye as she moved to down the next drink.
Garrus ordered another and downed it immediately, with the bartender attentive enough to refill his glass after.
"Miranda is still pretty pissed about that busted lip. She slapped some Medi-Gel on it already, but still."
Samantha bit her lip, looking conflicted. "Do you think I should do it?"
"Punch her again?" Garrus mused, his eyes giving away his mischief.
Samantha chuckled. "No, get the implant replaced. What if she's right, that I won't be able to just simply retire when I choose to do so? Just settle down with no problems? Isn't it wise to just get it done and be sure I can defend myself and a family?"
Garrus' breath hitched at her mention of a family and he wondered how serious she was about the statement, or if she was just using it as an example.
"Look at the last time I was left alone with no weapon on hand," Samantha continued, her voice lowering. "If I had the implant, I could have used my biotic abilities, and wouldn't have had to be saved like a child..."
"Sam," Garrus started sternly. "That wasn't your fault, nor were you as defenseless as you think you were. You put up one hell of a fight and nearly escaped. You were basically out the door as I walked in. You saved yourself, all we did was take in those assholes."
"I was terrified, Garrus."
The vulnerability in her eyes broke his heart and it took everything for him to keep from shutting his own or looking away.
"It's your choice, Sam. I'm not going to tell you to get it done. I've seen you deal with the effects and I don't want you to deal with it again if you don't want to. But I also don't want you to feel like you can't take care of yourself. You are your own weapon. Between your N7 training and your fighting spirit."
Samantha sighed. "I guess there's a lot to think about..."
A smile crept across Garrus' face. "Now isn't the time to think of everything, though. Right now is the time to enjoy each other's company and have some fun we rarely have anymore."
He stood and held out his hand to her, abandoning his drink. "Commander Shepard. Care to dance?"
Samantha snorted and downed another drink before she took his hand and stood. "I'm going to need more drinks than that, then."
Garrus chuckled. "Easy, Sam. We wouldn't want you to fall over drunk on the dance floor..."
Samantha rolled her eyes. "I can handle my alcohol, Vakarian. Can you?"
"Considering you're the one who's been poisoned before, probably."
"That was not my fault," Samantha huffed back at him as he guided them in a mid-paced dance.
"And yet you haven't quit drinking," Garrus mused playfully.
She snorted. "That would be like telling you to quit playing the hero."
"Says the hero herself," he shot back at her, pulling her close.
Samantha grinned and kissed him softly on his mandible before she whispered softly. "I'm no hero. Just a soldier doing her job."
"That's one hell of a job," he murmured before he spun her out and pulled her back.
"Guess I was too desperate to read that it involved being revived and killed again to complete my service," she smarted back to him.
Garrus raised a brow plate at her. "You mean to tell me it's not standard protocol to revive a soldier until your government gets what they want out of them?"
  Samantha laughed and hooked a leg up onto his hip and brushed her lips across his. "Not typically... Though I'm glad they made an exception, otherwise I wouldn't be here in this moment with you."
  "Smooth talker," Garrus hummed.
  "Speaking of smooth, I could use another drink," Samantha said sweetly before she turned toward the bar, beckoning for him to follow.
  Garrus chuckled and followed her, fully happy that the night turned out this way instead of the worst that he had prepared himself for.

  ((A/N: Hey guys!! So, Mass Effect Andromeda has been out for a bit now, and everyone is telling me how amazing it is, but I'm kind of stuck taking their word for it and dying from the suspense of waiting. We kind of don't have a PS4 or Internet to set it up lol
  So, this chapter goes out to any of you who can't play Andromeda either! I feel your pain!
  Big thanks to all my readers! I hope you liked this chapter! If ya did, don't forget to leave a vote and comment! Keelah Se'lai!))