BANG BANG BANG
Shepard slowly opened her eyes, she didn't remember falling asleep. As she sat up her back was killing her. She cracked her neck looking around. She had fallen asleep at her desk in her room on the Normandy having just finished helping Kasumi with her 'personal matter' and destroy the memory of her lover she must have passed out at her desk looking at e-mails on her data pad.
BANG BANG BANG
"Alright, Alright by the goddess fuck." Shepard shouted getting up from her desk stretching still tired. She had started feeling like she just ran nonstop, saving this person, killing that person, stopping a war, starting a gang war, have a test tube krogan baby. She couldn't remember the last time she had finally stopped and just slept. Taking a step toward the door she wobbled for a moment before tip against the bathroom door. Looking down she was still wearing her heels. Shepard hated wearing heels. What was worse was the dress she was wearing; it was a tight short black dress with a halter top. It made her feel like she couldn't breathe it was as bad as the heels. You wouldn't be able to run in them let alone out run someone. Shepard kicked off her heels one of them hitting the button to feed her fish. "Well...two birds with one stone." Shepard just shrugged as she unzipped the back of the dress finally able to breathe.
BANG BANG BANG
Unlocking the door to her quarters Miranda came barging in looking like she was going to have a panic attack. She rushed passed Shepard and made her way through to the pile of clothes on Shepard's bed that was forming into its own creature. Shepard closed the door slowly walking down the steps and sat down on her bed watching Miranda sort her clothes. "You know I think there is someone that comes and cleans this, its not be but it has to be someone. I come to find my bed magically makes itself." Shepard said. Miranda looked up at Shepard surprised that she was there as if she had forgotten. Shepard took a good look but leaned back in slight fear. Miranda's eyes were bloodshot red, her hair was no longer kept in its perfect form; she looked exhausted and scared. "Miranda what is going on? You are scaring the hell out of me." she said.
Miranda stopped moving complete. "Shepard. Shepard HE is here." she said her voice rising a little.
"Who? The reapers? Are you picking my outfit for the Reaper invasion?" Shepard said laughing but became quiet when Miranda gave her a look of shock.
"The Illusive Man. He is here. On the ship. In person. Here." Miranda explained in short breaths. Shepard shot up immediately and started going through the piles of clothes. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour as adrenaline pushed through her body. "Why is he here Miranda, he never leaves. That is what you told me." Shepard said in a growing rage.
"Look I don't make the calls. I was in my office minding my own business and he walks in asking for you. I thought I died and I was in hell." Miranda said throwing a Cerberus Officer shirt to her. Jane grabbed one of her loafers from under her bed.
"So hell is you working with me at Cerberus." Shepard asked giving Miranda an 'I am offended' face. Miranda rolled her eyes. It wasn't that Shepard was trying to dress up for the Illusive Man, but joining a Cerberus crew had some difficulties. She had to come off stricter and harder than her old Alliance crew. With Alliance they had become family, brothers in arms. With Cerberus they looked at her as if she was an alien. Any time out of her cabin she was cold and strict minus her time with Joker which she spent joking around and drinking. Some of the men on her crew did give her sideways glance specially today having to parade her way to the docking bay in that horrible dress for her mission with Kasumi. It was embarrassing and if there was one thing Shepard hated was being embarrassed. Besides Joker, Tali, Garrus, and Miranda were the only people she was really herself around. Yes there was Jack, Grunt, Jacob, and Kasumi but even with them til she was comfortable enough she still kept up some type of a wall. Jack was someone she knew over time she could be close with but she was still too much of a hot head at the time to really know her true colors. Miranda brought her back from the dead and Shepard always made sure she was by her side. They instantly hit it off like they were cut from the same cloth. Miranda tossed the pants to Shepard's her slacks.
"Commander Shepard," EDI popped up by the door in her monotone voice.
"Yes EDI what is it?" Shepard asked ripping off her dress. She took off her bra and panties rushing, throwing Officer Jacket.
"I am to inform you that your party is waiting for you in the Port Observation." EDI said calmly. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"What time is it EDI?" Shepard asked falling on her bed trying to put on her pants.
"The Approximate time 2:38 AM. Commander Shepard." EDI replied as the little blue orb of herself died down from the machine by the door. Shepard pushed down her red hair trying to smooth it out It had been getting long and she had been meaning to get it cut but she never had the time anymore for herself. It was the middle of the night and she was exhausted. Now that she was dressed she went into the bathroom quickly throwing black eyeliner on her top eyes. Miranda followed her into the bathroom leaning against the door frame.
"What do you think he wants?" Jane asked as she put foundation under the bags of eyes. Her freckles looked more prominent on her face which was probably from all the sun she had been getting after missing two years of it.
"I am not sure. He asked me to go find you. I am not even too sure how he got on board but, he has four Cerberus officers with him. Top Cerberus officers. So I would just assume he is going to kill you." Miranda shrugged passing Shepard a tube of rose colored lipstick, "Are you nervous Shepard?" Miranda asked.
"Not nervous really," Shepard said quickly putting mascara on her eyelashes. "He is just a hard to please man. At least he didn't come when everyone was awake. Last thing I need is chaos." she shrugged. Shepard turned around adjusting the collar to her Officer collar. She hated wearing this outfit; the sleeves were were heavy on the end, the collar fanned out and didn't stay to her skin like her Alliance Officer uniform, and the bottom part of the shirt fanned out like a woman's shirt. What made it worse is even in her datapad catalog of her clothes it said 'Officer Dress'. Shepard would much rather wear her old uniform or even a shirt and jeans but she didn't need comments from The Illusive Man that she looked like a homeless person. Miranda followed Shepard out of her Cabin into the elevator pressing the Third Floor. The elevator hummed softly, Shepard tapped her foot impatiently watching the number count down to three.
PING
The elevator doors slid open and Shepard stepped out with Miranda. "Well this is where I leave you." Miranda saluted Shepard smiling.
"You aren't coming with me?" Shepard asked a little confused. Miranda shook her head slowly backing away to her office, "Sorry Commander. Orders are for you. Not for me." Miranda gave her an apologetic look before turning the corner quickly. Shepard was along now, at least for a moment. Kasumi popped up behind Shepard half scaring the hell out of her. "Dammit Kasumi." Shepard put her hand over her heart. "Sorry Commander but what's going on? Some big burley men kicked me out of there and kicked everyone from the mess hall." Kasumi asked crossing her arms. Shepard shrugged, "I am sorry I can't give out that information. Why don't you stay in the Infirmary tonight? Dr. Chakwas closed it hours ago." Shepard said trying to find a solution for her teammates. Kasumi tapped her finger to her lips and nodded. "Alright Commander, because you helped me I won't push it. This time!" Kasumi wiggled her finger at her commanding officer. Before Shepard knew it Kasumi was off in the shadows again.
"Oy Commander!" Kenneth waved his hand frantically at Shepard who was only feet away. Kenneth Donnelly was leaning against the wall with Kelly Chambers and Joker drinking beers. "What is with the big ol Cerberus men?" he asked slurring a little. This was the last thing she needed was her crew running around drunk. They were outside the Port Observation door which was being guarded by two very large Cerberus men
"Damn Commander," Joker said licking his lips Shepard rolled her eyes Joker swayed over to her. "Where is that number from earlier you were wearing?" he said nudging her. Shepard could feel her face turning red. Normally she would say something back make Joker shift around in the front of his pants, but Kelly and Kenneth both watching she didn't want to come off as a slacker. Shepard put
on her serious face punching Joker in the arm. Joker let out a drunken whine rubbing his left arm. "What the fuck Shepard?" he shouted.
"Joker..." Kelly Chambers gasped looking frightened. "You cannot talk to Commander like that!" she said.
"Damn right you can't I am your Commanding Officer." Shepard grabbed the front of Jokers collar looking towards Kelly and Kenneth, "Now both of you out of here. I don't want to see you out here past hour's again." she barked.
Both Kelly and Kenneth didn't waste another moment before taking off for the crews sleeping quarters. The minute the door closed Shepard let go of Jokers collar hitting the button on the elevator to open.
"Have you lost it?" Joker shouted boarding the Elevator.
"Shut up!" Shepard put her hand over the sliding elevator door.
"No no," he wiggled his finger at her, "Someone is letting Cerberus Command get to her head." he said. Looking over her shoulder she could see the Cerberus Officers looking at her waiting for her to go in. She bit the inside of her mouth pushing her hair out of her face. She leaned into the elevator out of site whispering into Jokers ear, "Look I am sorry I can make it up to you later. I'll get you something nice from the Citadel or something." she said.
"Better be a stripper." Joker mumbled as Jane back away letting the door close. Shepard turned around pushing down on her shirt trying to flatten it. Her heart was pounding as she slapped her face trying to stop the redness in her cheeks. She hated having to put down Joker but she hate if more if anyone else in the Normandy SR thought they could talk to her like that. Her first day commanding the Cerberus Normandy an officer tried making a pass at her and she punched him in the stomach. When Jacob hit on her in the mess hall she threw his plate against the wall. Yes, there was a middle ground between throwing a plate and saying no, but for Shepard it was all or nothing. She hated being embarrassed like that and wanted to avoid it ever happening again.
Shepard walked past the large officer taking a deep breath before steeping through the door. As it slid close behind her she felt more nervous. The room was quiet not a sound but the humming of machine and it smelled faintly of cigarettes. "Shepard." he called to her from the bar. Shepard looked at him she wasn't sure what she was expecting she had seen the man in the shadows during their conference calls. He was smoking a cigarette at the bar drinking a martini. He wore wearing an all-black suit half of the shirt under the jacket unbuttoned. He had dark black hair covered in greys. His eyes were glowing white and blue that shined like bright lights.
"Are you going to just stand there Shepard or are you going to continue making me wait?" He asked taking another sip of his martini.
"I am sorry I didn't know magically appearing on my ship in the middle of the night was something I needed to be prepared for." Shepard said trying to calm her nerves. She followed Illusive Man as he took his drink to the window staring into the empty space.
"Shepard is there a reason you are not returning my messages? Not answering my com calls?" He asked turning to her breathing the smoke form his cigarette like a dragon. Shepard didn't mind the constant smoke in her face she was used to it form her own father. He may have been an Alliance Solider but was stupid enough to chain smoke himself to death. Shepard pushed the smoke out of her face, "I would apologize but I have been busy on other things, I got this really neat test tube krogan baby. Also most of Alliance trying to hunt me really fun stuff." she said sarcastically adjusting her collar. The room was warm and it made her uneasy.
"Yes but that doesn't mean you bite the hand that feeds you." Illusive Man said blowing smoke into her face on purpose. "Are you ignoring me Shepard?"
"No." she said flatly ignoring the smoke that stuck to her skin. "Kasumi needed me today. I have this lead with the Shadow Broker-"
"Don't forget the assignments I give you Shepard." Illusive Man interrupted. "I still need you to check for the Reaper IFF. Just because you have a ship, that I gave you, doesn't mean you can use it for your own doing." He finished his drink handing the empty glass to Shepard. She grunted taking it to the bar thinking of refilling it for herself. Her face felt warm her body starting to sweat.
"Is that why you're here? To scold me?" Shepard asked bending down under the bar taking a quick swig of whiskey form the bottom shelf. When she popped up he was standing on the other side of the bar. "By the goodness." She shouted grabbing her heart for a second time that night. He looked at her up and down. "You need to stay on track Shepard. Finish getting your team together. Get to that IFF. You need to stop playing games." He pointed the butt of his Cigarette at her before putting it out at the table.
"It was next on my list." Shepard shrugged feeling a little defeated. He had been right, she was ignoring his calls. She had found Garrus, helped Tali, and had her heart ripped out by Kaidan at Horizon. She didn't want to admit that she had been ignoring him due to a defeated heart. "I won't apologize for taking the time to make the team I have trust me but helping with their distractions." Shepard remarked.
"Distractions? Such as?" Illusive Man asked putting another cigarette between his lips lighting it. Shepard leaned over the table tapping on her fingers to her chin. Well, there was Garrus dark past with become Archangel, Miranda's sister, and Jacobs horrible past. Personal things." Shepard said thinking about how everyone on her team had some issue, some part of their past keeping them from going forward.
"Yes I gathered that." Illusive Man said smoking his cigarette leaning over the bar his face close to Shepard's, "Like. What." he asked again a little more sighed rolling her eyes, "Everyone has got some baggage keeping them from focusing on the major mission. Everyone has one thing that distractions them. It is like an itch that needed to be scratched." she said. She tried not to notice the constant smirk he had, the roughness of his voice that made his ideas sound smart, how he smelled like cigarettes, and a cologne; Brazilian rosewood, jasmine, and citrus. If was a smell that was incredibly enticing. Shepard tried not to look directly into Illusive Mans eyes, they shined so bright and looked so intense it made her feel like she was looking at Earth in his eyes. However, she had been staring Illusive Man was staring back at her with his bright eyes. Shepard felt her face get hot turning it away quickly back up.
"Shepard are you nervous?" Illusive Man asked coyly. He smoked his cigarette watching her back into the case of alcohol behind her knocking some of it to the ground.
"Of course not." she replied.
"Do you get embarrassed easily?" he asked.
"Not at all." she said. He looked at her like he was studying her. Like she was on display smoking his cigarette like he was looking at a piece of furniture trying to decide if it belonged in his home. He smiled, actually smiled at her. "I can hear everything you said earlier in the halls. It's very easy to hear in the dead of night." Illusive Man said walking toward the door. "It's good to be an upstanding Commander Shepard, kicking people to their room in the dead of night barking orders, and shouting at your pilot. None of these things distract you?" he asked.
"No it does not. I run a tight ship. I did not need my crew running around intoxicated. That is an embarrassment." Shepard said flatly. She walked around the side of the bar watching him. It was like he was asking her questions through a screen or a mic. His body was here but his mind somewhere else. "Do you worry that the staff picked by Miranda and me for the Normandy SR is not up to par? That they are not good enough? Do they constantly embarrass you? We can fire them. People can be replaced. Cerberus isn't just an organization or the people behind it. It is more and I need to know that what is going on when I am not on watch is working." Illusive Man said rather abruptly. He tossed his cigarette to the floor killing the small flame with the heel of his shoe.
Shepard gave him a slight look of shock; would he get rid of someone just if they made Shepard embarrassed? Shepard bit her lip sucking on it lightly trying to choose her words carefully, "Cerberus is different from Alliance. Here you have to be strong; you have to be willing to turn an arm or two to get your way. If my crew thinks that I am some joke, a has-been, or someone that can talked about in a manner I would not want they should think twice. I am a force to be reckoned with, not a joke." Shepard said pushing her hair out of her face. Illusive Man eyes grew wide. And for a moment Shepard thought they flickered. Illusive Man strolled around the room lighting his third cigarette looking at the stolen art Kasumi proudly displayed on the wall, "I am aware of Miranda Lawson's younger sister Oriana now that is has come into a larger light. I am also aware of Jacob Taylors with his father." he said stopping for a moment puffing on his cigarette looking at the tapestry on the wall. Shepard slowly made her away across the room smoothing down the front of her shirt.
"Shepard, follow me." Illusive Man said not waiting for her to respond. He made his way through the door with Shepard on his heels. The men outside the door became alert standing stiff as the door open. Illusive Man uttered something to a man to the right of the right of the door, who nodded and the men stayed in their position. Illusive Man headed for the elevator waiting for the door he said nothing but smoked his cigarette in silence. Finally when the doors did slide open he stepped in. Shepard stood outside the elevator for a moment. She had been worried about meeting him; he was as much as an Ice King as when she had seen him through a screen. "May I be frank sir?" she asked stepping into the Elevator. "What made you come out of hiding?" she asked.
Illusive Man chuckled pressing the button to the top floor, her quarters. Shepard's heart began to pound and she thanks the goddess that she and Miranda had shoved all the clothes in a corner before leaving. What would he want with her quarters though? Suddenly Illusive Man flicked his cigarette to the ground putting it out with his heel. He grabbed Shepard by her right shoulder shoving her against the wall he pushed his thumb into the area above her collar bone. He used his other hand putting a cigarette in his mouth. "Tell me something Shepard what are you distractions?" he asked.
Shepard could feel the slight pain in her collar bone and tried to think if punching him was the best route out of this, now she could smell him again; the cigarettes, the light musk underneath the citrus of orange and lemon she couldn't breathe and she didn't hate as much as she thought she might. "Look at me. Tell me." Illusive Man said as a slight order he used his free hand to move her face so she was facing him looking into his bright eyes. "I do not have distractions." she explained. Feeling his fingers on her skin. She was nervous, concerned, and for some reason she felt embarrassed. She could feel the heat racing her palms sweating.
"Commander I know for more than a fact you have gotten every single one of my Missions I have sent you, you have gotten each message about where I need you to go, updates about the Reaper IFF, and the war. However Commander Shepard," he stopped for a moment taking his unlit cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it to the ground. "Recently you have received a message from a Kaidan Alenko titled 'About Horizon'. So tell me how that is not a distraction." he said.
"You read my mail?" she asked. She put her hand up slowly taking ahold of his and removing it from her collar bone. Being this close to his face she could see where he had been very slowly aging, where he had a salt and pepper five o'clock shadow. "I do not get distractions. If you think having a lack of sex or sexual tension in my pressure of the Reapers will get in the way then you must think very little of me." she said. Looking to the elevator door she had seen that the door had been open for some time. She pushed herself away from the Illusive Man and walked out of the elevator and into her Quarters. She did not wait for the Illusive Man instead she went to her desk grabbing her data pad pulling up her messages.
"Shepard, I have received some more information about the Reaper IFF. You should take caution when blah blah blah." Shepard swiped her hand going to the next e-mail as Illusive Man walked down the stairs in her room looking at her bed, "Shepard it seems that the Reaper IFF will be needed for the Omega 4 Relay blah blah blah." Shepard threw her datapad to the table. "Now if you came all this way sir to tell me to check my messages I'll start opening them and then forgetting about them that way you at least see I read them." she crossed her arms walking down the steps. "If you are expecting perfection sir you picked the wrong woman for the Job. I make mistakes, my crew gets drunk, I got dressed like this to impress you but in the rush after killing a group of men at a party for a team member. I do what I can but I will not stop being there for my team, making sure they are ready to rush back and answer at your beck and cal...sir." she added the 'sir' in a sweet voice.
"So what you're telling me is that you are human." Illusive Man said. He pulled Shepard's arm forcing her against him. He unzipped the front of her uniform exposing her naked breast. "It seems in your haste you forgot something else." Illusive man chuckled. He ran his finger down the middle of her chest cupping his hand over her breast. It had been so long since she had felt someone touch her like that, it made her moan slightly. She didn't know what she was doing, what she wanted. Here stood this powerful man staring at her like a piece of meat but why did she like it so much?
"Everyone has distractions Shepard. Could it be possible at all that I came all this way out of hiding for those reasons alone." he said coyly. Illusive Man pulled her into him kissing her as passionately and as hard as he could. He did not waste any time with her he slowly began biting her lip moving his tongue into her mouth tasting how sweet she was with a foul taste of whiskey in the back of her mouth. She wrapped her hands around his head running her fingers through his hair. He grabbed her by her thighs picker her up as she wrapped her legs around him. She felt his tongue move around her mouth touching hers and she devoured the feeling. He threw her to the bed getting on top of her slowly massaging her breast. He pulled away from her slowly unbuttoning his shirt but Shepard didn't wait she ripped it open exposing his body to her. Illusive Man moved his mouth to her neck kissing her gently as she began unbuttoning his pants as fast as he could. Shepard kissed his chest as she moved herself down his body exposing the rest of his naked body to her. Slowly she wiggled her way out of her own clothes moving back up making eye contact with Illusive Man. He grabbed her by the waist pushing her up above him as his hips hit against her. He didn't wait for signal or for a go-ahead; he put his member inside of her quickly with hesitation. Shepard let out a cry feeling it move and throb inside of her moving back and forth. She dug her nails into his back as he dug his into hers.
"You'd know I'd call out your name if I knew It." she said between moans as he thrusted in and out of her feeling her juices drip over him. "That's too personal don't you think?" he said kissing her as hard as he could.
END