A/N: I don't normally take the time to write out fanfiction. Only when the idea is perfect and the mood is right do I actually put words to the paper (or, in this case, font to the monitor). In most cases, I'll begin to write obsessively about this idea, taking down every word that comes to mind. Then, as fast as the inspiration came, I become burnt out or creatively blocked.
That's why I never got past the first few chapters of my giant Battle Royale fic, which I may or may not go back to, if anyone is still interested in it. I really was passionate about it and focused on writing the thing, and I got some good reviews, but in the end it was time constraints and lack of interest that stopped it. Sorry to any of you that were still holding out hope for an update, but I can't promise anything.
But now I'm moving on, because I've been on a Mass Effect kick for a while and finally had something hit me. I was listening to the original Broadway recording of the musical Wicked a couple of weeks ago in my car(I'm a musical theater nerd, okay? I love that show). The song "One Short Day" came up, which, in short, is about the two female leads and their adventure together in a big city. The song made me think "Hmm…if this is a song about two good friends together in a cityscape, what would it be like if two enemies were forced to spend time together in a similar setting?"
Enter Miranda and Jack.
I don't think this is a songfic, but if it is, the song is used very loosely. I'll stop talking here and just let the work speak for itself. Enjoy and review!
DISCLAMER: Mass Effect 2 belongs to BioWare and Wicked (musical) belongs to Steven Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. I don't own either one! If I did, they would both completely suck!
One Short Day- Chapter 1
Like most days, Miranda Lawson sat in her office, dutifully typing away reports of the team's progress to The Illusive Man. Sometimes there wasn't much to say—a little bit of probing planets in the Omega Nebula, anomalies detected here and there, maybe a noteworthy upgrade to the Normandy SR-2—but on days like today, just after the defense of that small colony world Horizon, Miranda's duty to Cerberus was clear. The team's first real encounter with the Collectors…a brutal fight to be sure, but a needed one. Scans and guesswork could only take the team so far; now there was a legitimate wealth of data on their enemies. Such information would make the mission move along at a much smoother pace.
Now that the team had first hand combat experience, the techs in the other research cells had to be notified. The ragtag bunch of combat specialists Shepard had put together so far could only do so much with what they knew. It was up to the scientists to take what they now knew and apply it to a greater scale—deepening their well, so to speak. More guesswork about their weaponry and command system, their tactics, their shielding…what their next target might be. Just more intel that we can use, Miranda thought to herself as she tapped away at her holokeys and gazed intently at her monitors. If we're going to do this, we need every advantage we can get.
But as good as this information was, an equally pressing matter needed to be reported as well. Until this point, the Commander had no idea just how much the Systems Alliance knew of his return. His encounter with that woman—Ashley Williams—had not only shaken Shepard, but also seemed to make him lose a bit of his resolve. He didn't know that rumors of his resurrection had traveled so far to Alliance scouts. Miranda knew that her illustrious employer had told Shepard he had let some of those same rumors drop himself. As such, Shepard had become a bit of a recluse; he had taken avoiding Cerberus crew and spending most of his time in his quarters, or else with Jack under the engine room.
Thinking of that woman—was that even an appropriate title for the convict?—always gave Miranda a headache, but thinking of her with Shepard always vexed her more than normal. Why Shepard had decided to latch himself onto the overly tattooed girl was beyond Miranda. Shepard was always a rational man, both before and after his death and subsequent reconstruction—the immature biotic specialist had no use for such a construct. Rationality got thrown out the window the second the splinter group decided to mess with her head, and it only degraded even more the longer she stayed on ship.
As a rule, Miranda tried to avoid Jack. It was clear that the criminal thought very little of anyone associated with Cerberus, and Miranda's clear loyalty to the organization was enough of a reason for Jack to make her life one vexation after another. Miranda resented being called a "cheerleader" every day for something she owed her life to. She also didn't see the need for Jack to curse every other breath.
And the woman—well, girl, as she had no maturity to speak of—wasn't even attractive! A shaved head, those implants on her ears, tattoos covering every inch of skin, running around half naked all the time…was Shepard so driven by his male drives that he couldn't look at the big picture?
Shepard spending so much time with Jack worried Miranda for obvious reasons. Cerberus needed Shepard at one hundred percent, and his loyalty—however fleeting it may be—needed to be solid. Jack would only twist Shepard's views on Cerberus to the point of no return. Distractions and doubts were issues that had to be addressed. Miranda was still head of the Lazarus Cell, after all—it was her responsibility to make sure Shepard stayed up to par with his previous lifetime. She likely would have told Shepard of The Illusive Man's plans prior to his meeting with him after their return to the Normandy, had she known them for certain herself. As it stood now, Shepard may lose sight of the mission, or else go rogue, especially with Jack whispering hate messages in his ear. If this happened, Miranda knew she would have to shoulder the blame. The thought of having to tell The Illusive Man that Shepard was no longer willing to work with their little group was a meeting she couldn't see ending well.
So much for "perfection," father. This bitter thought caused Miranda to become a bit flustered, but as such thoughts always did for her, it allowed her to work more efficiently. Pressure always made her work harder—yet another thing she could blame her father for.
Miranda resented Shepard's relationship with Jack—not because she was jealous, because she certainly wasn't, and she would deny it to her grave—but because if Shepard was looking for sexual sport, there were much better options on the ship. Miranda was always certain of her own alluring attraction. She constantly had to deal with the stares of the men under her command, and as disgusting as it was, she thrived on such attentions. The fact that Shepard didn't pay her body the same respect irked her. She simply wasn't used to it.
Luckily for her mental state, Miranda's door opened, causing her to look up from her work. Just as she hoped he might, Commander Shepard stood in his command stance in her doorway, his face chiseled with a slight frown. As always, he didn't ask for Miranda's attention with mere words, nor did he demand it of her. It was merely the fact that he was here that made her hang on his every word. Miranda still couldn't tell if it was just his powerful charisma, his aura of effortless superiority, or…
Miranda chose to let the thought hang. While Shepard was well toned, tall, and eyes the perfect shade of blue, she refused to admit any attraction towards the man, not even to herself. This was business, this was professional—tingly feelings and lusty daydreams were beneath her.
"Commander," she said evenly, slightly leaning forward on her desk. "What can I do for you?"
"I've told Joker to make a course towards the Citadel," Shepard replied, putting his hands behind his back—a habit two years of reconstruction couldn't break. "Councilor Anderson sent me a message. I need to speak to him, face to face."
"Good idea," Miranda nodded. "After Horizon, the Alliance definitely knows you're alive and working with Cerberus. Williams sounded as if she meant business."
"She always has," Shepard agreed, his frown turning to a slight smile at whatever his thoughts were. Miranda wasn't fooled, however—she knew that thinking of his former flame was hard after their heated confrontation. "I need to clear the air with Anderson. He needs to hear it from me that Cerberus isn't our enemy right now."
"We never have been," Miranda cut in. "It's typical of the Alliance. Just because we're pro human doesn't mean we're against galactic stability. Furthering human causes should be both our worries, not just Cerberus."
"No offense, but before this mission, I can't Cerberus has really been anyone's friend. What with the Rachni shock troopers, the experiments you ran on Corporal Toombs, and Jack-"
"Splinter groups, all of them," Miranda maintained, refusing to let the topic of Jack come into this conversation.
"Well, the point is that Anderson is reasonable. At least he'll know that I'm doing this for the right reasons."
"Of course, Shepard. You two are still good friends. He'll put more stock in your opinion than that of Williams." There was a lull in the conversation, and when Shepard didn't leave right away, Miranda awkwardly began typing again. Hoping to find out what Shepard was after, she added "I assume I'll have the ship while you're meeting with our human councilor?"
"Actually, I need you there with me." Miranda looked back up. "You know more about Cerberus operations than I do. Your information can really help me out."
It had been awhile since Miranda had been on the Citadel. Ever since that business with Jath'Amon two years ago, she had tried to avoid the station whenever possible. Spending so much time on the Lazarus Project also meant that she couldn't get out much. Even if she really wanted to visit the Citadel during that time, she was always needed on staff. She never did trust Wilson to be alone with the team while she wasn't there—now she knew it was for good reason.
Then again, it had been quite awhile. Things were sure to be different. Maybe a quick visit to the Widow star system was exactly what she needed, even if it was a business trip.
"Understood, Commander," Miranda nodded. "I'll let Jacob know he'll be officer on deck for a while. Will I be the only one on the shore party?"
"Well…" Shepard trailed off, rubbing his neck uncomfortably. "About that…"
"Oh, no," Miranda groaned. "Please don't tell me you're thinking about bringing..."
"…Her?" Jack rose up from her seat on the cot suddenly, a biotic field surrounding her in response to the sudden fury. "The cheerleader? Are you fucking kidding me?"
Understandably, Shepard backed far away. Clearly afraid, just like everyone else, the pussy.
"Look, I know you really don't want her around, but we need her for the meeting," Shepard explained. "I need Anderson to know why I'm here and why I haven't went straight back to the Alliance."
"I don't give two shits about the Council or the Alliance!" Jack growled. "Damn it, Shepard! My first time to the Citadel and you have to bring the one whore who I want to rip apart?"
"It's not like I'm leaving you alone with her or anything," Shepard was staying calm, refusing to respond to Jack's anger. "I need you as a distraction. I know you'll do anything to keep anyone from barging in on the meeting. If anyone from the Alliance sees Anderson talking with a confirmed Cerberus operative and a dead man, the political fallout will be pretty bad. You'll do what you do best, aside from killing everything that moves."
"Fuck, Shepard! If you want a guard who won't kill anything, ask the idiot in the armory! I don't do knockouts!"
"You'll do it because I need you to, and I know you can," Shepard crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby bulkhead. "I can't bring Jacob, because he's one of the only Cerberus officers I trust completely with the ship, and I have to bring Miranda. And I know you can stop people without violence. You're smart enough to think of something that won't get anyone in trouble."
She began to pace, not buying into Shepard's empty complements. She didn't trust someone who could stay that calm and deadpan at a time like this. He was just trying to calm her down. Fuck being calm. Where had that ever gotten her? Cells! Only cells! The day she let down her guard was the day she ended up in Purgatory. She wasn't stupid.
Still, she had to laugh, because he obviously didn't get it. "You idiot. All I ever do is kill people. I love killing people. Why shouldn't I not kill people?"
"Because I just need you to do this for me, alright?" Shepard replied, still with that damned calm voice and cool demeanor. "I know you can."
"Yeah…?" Jack stopped pacing around the room and faced Shepard, leaning against her own bulkhead across from the Commander. "And if I refuse to work with the cheerleader?"
"Then you won't get to see the Citadel. Your choice."
The room grew quiet. Jack stared at the Commander, not blinking. To his credit, the Commander held her gaze. Not very many people got to look her in the eye and stay alive.
"I'll get to see the Presidium?"
"Of course."
More silence.
"What about the clubs in the Wards?"
"After we finish, I'll bring the entire squad for drinks."
Quiet.
"You're buying?"
"Cerberus pays its heroes well."
Finally, a blink from Jack.
"Fine. But you owe me for this, Shepard."
Shepard smiled. "Gear up and meet me by the shuttle in about an hour."
"Whatever. Just go, you fucker."
Shepard uncrossed his arms and made for the stairs, and at first, Jack was sorry to see him go. But then she remembered she was about to see the Citadel, and she thought of something she never had before, something that hadn't mattered until now.
"What the fuck am I going to wear?
A/N: I'm not going to say how many chapters I'm going to be writing on this for sure, but I can definitely say there will be two or three more at the least. Liked the first chapter? REVIEW! Hated every word? REVIEW! Think certain parts are "meh" or out of character? REVIEW! I want to hear from you, fellow writers!