Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect 2, BioWare does... damn it!
Authors Notes: This was originally going to be a FemShep/Tali fanfic but then Jess saw Samara topless... Oh well, hope you enjoy.
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She watched from her spot in the Medbay as Dr. Chakwas patched up the rest of the crew, here usual bright demeanor muted. It had been unrealistic to believe they would have all made it out alive, after seeing the one coffin in the cargo bay she had quietly retreated to her current location. Mordin had been one of the best of them, not a saint, not a fiend, a person with a history of great achievements and great mistakes just like them all. Still his death had shaken her to the core, he had been a friend, one of the most supportive people she had encountered. As she lay her fingers on the white metal she couldn't help but whisper,
"You held the line." His sacrifice had provided the rest of of them their escape. She'd do better so that he wouldn't be forgotten.
The Dr. handed out a few painkillers to two members of engineering as she moved from patching Thanes arm, a nasty shredder round through and through on his bicep, to wrapping some bandages around Samaras waist, quite a few cuts and dark blue bruises adorning her abdomen. The Asari didn't seem at all uncomfortable being bare from the waist up but Jess couldn't help but blush as her eyes accidentally trailed up the older woman's front. Turning her face to the side she wondered if she was being teased but the thought was quickly squashed, Samara wasn't the kind of person to do such a thing especially after breaking both the Commanders heart and her own. Jess really had felt a connection with the Justicar, the woman was strong both physically and emotionally, she had suffered a great deal and given up everything to right a wrong that shouldn't have been hers. In several ways they were similar, in others they were very different and it was that which had drawn her in. As much as she wanted to ignore it or be pissed off Jess understood Samar's faithfulness to the code, her faithfulness to herself in a way, but it still left her feeling sad and empty.
"So commander, tried to prove you are impervious to bullets again?" Jess snapped out of her contemplations by the forced humor in Dr. Chakwas's voice. She smiled sheepishly as the Dr. looked her over. Her armor had been reduced to a warped carapace, so full of dents it looked like someone had been at it with a jackhammer, there were a few holes as well but none of the projectiles had penetrated to far.
"Guess I didn't manage this time ether." she said tonelessly as Chakwas started removing slugs from under her skin and applying bandages. There was more starch white that gentle tan by the time she was finished, it almost looked like Jess was wearing a sleeveless, white, spandex shirt. She hopped down from the table and grabbed some painkillers for herself, boy was she going to be sore in the morning, fortunately for the crew she'd be grumpy on her own.
"Thank you Dr. You should get some rest yourself." Jess smiled as best she could and Chakwas waved her off turning to one of the crew from the CIC who had a nasty gash across the chest. She limped her way to the door of the Medbay proceeding through when it swished open, she spun painfully to her right when she felt a pressure on her shoulder, the muscle in her leg clenching as her body prepared itself for some sort of assault. When she noticed it was Samara however she unwound with a slight grunt and a nod of apology. She was still on high alert.
"Commander may I have a word." The Matron asked softly, her melodious voice grabbing all of Jess' attention. She nodded and waited for the Justicar to proceed, there was silence for scarce seconds.
"Somewhere more private would be preferable Shepard." At the words Jess nodded again and made her way to the Observation room, she was surprised when Samara turned to the elevator however. Following with a slightly raised eyebrow she was further surprised when the Justicar chose her quarters on the holoscreen. A few seconds passed before they were both standing at her doors. They hadn't spoken and as Jess motioned for Samara to enter she could just make out the tension in the Asaris shoulders.
"EDI warn me if anyone comes up." Jess said softly to the floating holographic representation of the Normandy's AI. She wondered for a moment if said AI wouldn't prefer a more humanoid representation and made a mental note to ask her later. Jess walked down to her bed, motioning for Samara to take a seat on the couch as she dropped of the bottles of painkillers on her bedside table, when she turned around Samara was still standing.
"Hope you don't mind, standing's a bit tiresome right now." Jess apologized as she sat gingerly down on the couch, the painkillers only dulling the pain. "So, what's on your mind."
Samara hesitated for a moment before siting as across from her as she could on he L shaped couch, her eyes always on the commander. It took her a few more seconds to begin talking.
"My oath to you Shepard is concluded. This means I will be on my way as soon as we dock." She paused and even through the strong, seemingly perfect front she was putting up Jess could see a flicker of sorrow in the Matrons eyes. She sighed. The knowledge that Samara would be leaving soon after they returned from the Collector base had been ever present and part of her had hopped the Justicar would have simply left once they docked.
"Of course." Jess said, trying her best to snuff out all the emotions that were beginning to stir in her chest. She considered herself successful when her voice came out sounding as professional as always. Samara seemed taken aback by her cool reply but the emotion was gone so fast Jess reasoned it had been a trick of the light on her tired and hopeful mind.
"I don't regret the time we spent together Shepard, you are an incredible person, truly the best humanity has to offer." The Asaris voice was soft, her tone wistful. She was leaving her breadcrumbs again but this time Jess wasn't swallowing it.
"Thank you for your kind words Justicar and for your help in this mission. I hope your future en-devours are as successful as these last have been." She stood then, moving around the small table to stand near the fish-tank, looking at the animals inside with only mild interest. She was trying as hard as she could to distance herself then, using titles and being as diplomatic as she could. It was the only thing she could do to halt the flood of emotion that was steadily welling up. It was too soon, there were wounds still to fresh to be having this conversation.
It wasn't fair. She had spent her entire life being selfless, trying to help others before helping herself and all she had gotten in return were bitch-slaps to the face. Even as a child she had tried her hardest to keep her makeshift family safe. Yes she had done some doubtful thing in her youth; joint gangs, stolen, but if she hadn't someone else would have had to and better her than some of her younger brothers and sisters. She had never been a child, not in the true sense of the word, life had always been hard and brutal and her eyes had been opened to the horrible truths of life very early. To early some would say. But she had persevered and as soon as she had come of age she had enlisted into the Alliance, the only time she would claim to being selfish. After years of training and growing, after her guarded heart had slowly started to open up to her new family she had lost that too on Akuze. Still she had never complained. She had fought harder, become better to make sure such things never happened to any of the people she grew to care about. And where had that left her? Lost and alone, just like she had started. She had friends of course; Tali and Garrus were two of the most perfect examples, but still there had been no one she had trusted her broken heart to since loosing her innocence, no shoulder to cry on. Until she had met Samara.
The Justicar knew loss, knew what it was to fight for a good cause, code or no code. She had suffered and she had mended herself. And Jess had hopped that the other woman would have mended her as well. She looked up seeing the object of her convoluted thoughts standing a few paces behind her the blue of her skin accentuated in the reflection, a soft mournful expression on her features, somewhat akin to the one she had after killing her daughter.
"Jessica." One word to unlock a lifetime of sorrow gathered in her heart. A tear snaked down her face as she looked down, biting her lower lip to prevent herself from sobbing. After all the hardening she had been through tears still managed to find their way to freedom. After Akuze. After Vermire. And now. But she didn't want this, not now. So she steeled herself, swallowed hard and breathed deep, raising her head so she could lock eyes with the woman behind her, even if it was only through her reflection.
"I'm sorry Samara. I don't know what you want me to say." her voice was a little more hoarse than she'd have liked but her expression betrayed nothing. There were still people who needed her, a galaxy to save. She'd be strong just this one more time. She felt arms circle her waist as Samara drew Jess into her body, resting her forehead on the back of Jess' head. A surge of heat washed over her as the Justicar's curves pressed intimately to her back.
"I'm here for you Jessica, you don't have to be strong today." And the damn broke. Jess turned around in Samara's arms wrapping her own around the Asaris neck and burying her face in the other woman's shoulder. Her sobs came out almost as broken screams so deep was her pain as she grabbed the other woman like s lifeline. Samara held her tight, stroking her back and whispering soft nothings into her ear, soothing all the broken pieces into place. It took Jess quite some time to settle down but she was never rushed, Samara was giving her the time she needed to let everything go.
Jess pulled herself a little away from the Justicar, a sheepish expression on her features, a silent apology for her weakness. She felt Samara cup her cheek and she leaned into the caress, looking up at the Asari.
"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to break down on you." Samara smiled at her words.
"There is no need to apologize." and suddenly their embrace felt all to much like when they had been alone in the Observation room. The intimacy was there, the longing she was sure was not only in Samara's eyes but in her own as well, and this time without doubt she could see love there as well.
"The reason I wished to talk to you was that I considered what transpired between us. There is and always will be the Code Jessica as I have realized I will always feel for you, but I have come to believe there needn't be conflict between the two. You are a Paragon of these troubled times and I have yet to be presented with a situation the Code would force me to confront you. Because of this, I will stay with you as long as you will have me or until such a time I am forced to take your life." there was silence for a few brief moments.
"You know usually when a human proposes it involves a ring and being down on one knee." Jess couldn't help but crack with laughter as Samara raised an eyebrow quizzically. Her laughter was silenced however when she felt tentative lips brushing against her own. With her lips still curving up at the edges they kissed for the first time. It was a gentle exchange of love, silent vows of support but it quickly changed into something different. Passionate demonstrations of lust and need, entwining of limbs as tongues battled hungrily for free given dominance, to state a primal claim. For a split second Jess was reminded of Morinth but the fire was tempered by an undeniable caring and swiftly the kisses were back to being gentle caresses of lips and hands, the drawing of two broken soles into a whole. It stopped rather abruptly however when Jess winced as her ribs protested.
Panting they parted, Samara guiding her young lover to the bed. The Justicar lay down and maneuvered Jess so she was laying comfortably close, her head on Samara's shoulder, her arm wrapped securely around the Asaris waist. No more words were needed that night, just the knowledge that two broken warriors had finally found some happiness.