((This is just a short, quick thing that I am sure will be invalidated when ME3 comes out. But I wanted to write it, and I hope all of you enjoy.))
"Damn it, Joker. Move! Move!"
Shepard felt the bone start to snap underneath her fingers, but kept pulling. It was just a replay of a terrible nightmare. The Normandy was going down in flames. Everyone was scrambling for the escape pods - which were significantly more comfortable, thanks to Cerberus' redesign of the ship. Everyone was on their way out - Liara, Garrus, Tali… but not Shepard. Not without Joker.
The pilot cried out in pain, half-growling, but continued to struggle to get out of Shepard's grip. "Shit!Let go, let fucking go -"
"I've already died once for your gimpy ass, I'm not dying again!" The stress of the situation made the joke fall flat on its face. Normally Joker would have given a wry laugh at Shepard's gallows humor, but with the flames creeping in around them, there was no time for even a smile. "We have to go - NOW."
"No,I'm not leaving her like this - I'm not losing her again -" Joker's fingers danced over the haptic display. He was truly the best pilot in the universe, but there was only so far fancy flying would go.
A blue-green flicker came from the left of the pilot's display. The hologram formed itself into the image of a neatly dressed woman. EDI had quietly asked if she could assume a more human form to better interface with the crew, and it was now honestly hard to remember when she was, to them, little more than an orb on a stick. The neat bob and ample hips still reflected the smooth, spherical design she originally had been programmed with. It was no surprise to see her graphical representation in attendance. "The nearest escape pod is located of the bridge to the right exit."
"You heard the lady, Joker. We need to get going!"
Joker shook his head, gritting his teeth. "I can do it, I can do this! Just let me -"
"Mr. Moreau, odds of surviving this attack are impossibly small." EDI's voice was softer than Shepard had heard it before - downright tender.
Joker only responded by shaking his head again, sucking in an irritated breath through gritted teeth. Sweat was rolling down into his eyes, condensation collecting in his helm. Shepard pulled at his shoulder again, and he let out a strangled grunt. "I can save her - I can still save you." He was looking at EDI, now.
Shepard noticed the shift. It wasn't surprising. She had seen it developing for weeks. She had even subtlely encouraged it, as she had seen it coming. And now she was seeing the end of it, just as she saw the start of it.
"You need to go, Jeff. Please."
"I'm not leaving you, EDI, I'm -" He finally looked up, squinting softly at the holodisplay of EDI's avatar. His fingers slowed on the haptic display and finally came to a stop, hovering above the keys. "Are… are you crying?"
EDI blinked, simulated tears running down her stoic and beautiful face. When she next spoke there was a soft hoarseness to it. "Yes."
"But - I don't - why?" It was not normal to imagine a VI, a synthetic being, weeping. Tears were an ugly and organic thing. They were messy and wet and chaotic. And now EDI was choosing to wear them, squeezing out a few more round drops onto her holographic cheeks. Joker seemed as if he already knew the answer, but waited for EDI to explain anyway.
"I am crying because it hurts, Jeff." Behind them, another creak and groan: another one of the Normandy's supports had given away into flames and space.
Joker stared, gulping again and again, trying to figure out what to say.
It was the stunned pause that Shepard needed. Joker cried out in pain as she wrenched him from the seat, hoisting him over her shoulder and running full-tilt to the nearby escape pod. As soon as Joker realized what was happening, he started kicking and screaming, desperately trying to free himself. The flames were crowding in. He could see out the large hole as the lights flickered out along the Normandy's side, power desperately being rerouted to emergency lifesaving measures on the bridge. Every kick just made Shepard hold on to him harder. "Let me go, let me GO! I can still save her -"
Shepard tossed him into the escape pod headfirst, another structural support crashing down behind them. One of the displays flickered weakly, and EDI's avatar appeared - tall, stately, and elegant as usual, even with the addition of simulated tears running down her cheeks. Her holographic blue-green lips trembled a moment, and she raised a hand. "Joker -"
He turned and looked just in time to see the display explode in fire and sparks.
The escape pod shot away from the Normandy at the last moment. They could see its elegant arches bending and breaking. Shepard was shivering at the memory of watching this all happen before, but while feeling the life being smothered out of her. She still let Joker scream at her, and punch her so hard that his wrist and knuckles were surely broken. But eventually he reached off to take off his hat - the only time Shepard had seen such a thing - and throw it off in disgust and frustration, and then finally begin to cry.
She let him sob.
It was only when they were nearly collected by another Alliance vessel that she put an arm around his shoulders and drew him into a light hug as his shoulders heaved with each heavy sob. Shepard had said nothing in response until then, and even then, she waited for him to relax in the sisterly embrace as he buried his head in his hands.
"I'm so sorry, Joker. I'm so very sorry."
And outside, the last lights on the Normandy dimmed and finally died.