Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or anything associated with it. This is just my little…solution to the rather severe lack of Jack (oooh, ryming!) in Mass Effect 3. As well as the general lack of Jack fanfiction in general. As always please read, review and enjoy!
On Shore Leave
"Hey, soldier. Buy a girl a drink?"
Shepard grinned as got closer to the table. Taking stock of the datapad Jack was looking over rather intently.
"Didn't expect to find you reading." Especially in a club of all places.
"Duty roster for the students. Its what I do for fun now," was her sarcastic reply. "They've got us spread across Alliance units. Reinforcing barriers, modding ammo, that kind of thing."
Shepard pulled up a chair. "How are they holding up?"
Jack barely managed to hold back a snort. "They're fine. They're not the ones reading duty rosters while on shore leave," she lamented.
The grin became more pronounced on Shepard's face. "Complain if you like, but I think military life suits you."
Now Jack's eyes became equal parts mischievous and predatory. "You just want to peel me out of an Alliance uniform don't you? Perv," she practically purred the last word.
Well now that you mention it…Shepard thought as he quickly tried to not get too many ideas. Unsuccessfully. He quickly decided to switch tracks.
"Come on, plenty of combat, free room and board. And people you can depend on."
"Yeah, yeah. Maybe your little suicide squad taught me something about teamwork. Speaking of which…thanks."
She leaned forward setting the datapad aside. "My guys are handling the support stuff well. Still see some action but their not on the front lines. They've saved a lot of lives. " Then her tone grew annoyed. "That's what pisses me off. We're doing good work. If we were useless, I could drop this shit and come with you. But we're not…and they need me," Jack seemed to brace, or rather resign herself to what her next words had to be. "So… if we gotta call it quits , I get it." She truly did to be honest. After all they were in the middle of a damn war probably going to be on opposite ass ends of the galaxy with little to no way of contacting each other. Keeping up this…relationship, would be stupid, and honestly pretty much a mistake pure and simple.
Not that that made her feel any better about it.
But that was one of the best things about Shepard. He had a way of surprising her.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily," he said as he got up from his chair and moved toward her.
Is he…?
Jack rose from her seat as well and moved toward Shepard.
This kiss wasn't like the fierce and passionate ones they shared during their reunion at Grissom Academy. It was slow, gentle, and damn it if it didn't make Jack melt a little inside.
So yeah, keeping up this relationship probably was a mistake. But even so…
"God you make the best mistakes," Jack breathed.
"All right Shepard. No strings. But if we get out of this alive…" she left the thought unsaid.
But Shepard hadn't come to think on anything majorly serious. He was already up to his eyebrows in galactic extermination. Right now, all he wanted was to have a good time out in a club with the woman he was absolutely crazy about.
"Come on."
"What?"
Shepard walked toward the upper dance floor with Jack following behind. "The duty rosters can wait. Right now you're on shore leave."
They headed up the stairs and stood for a second, watching the masses of people dance (most of them pretty poorly) before Jack couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Shepard, everyone knows you can't dance!"
Owch. The hero of the Citadel wished he had a reply to that but to be honest he doubted anyone in the galaxy could come up with one.
So wordlessly he just stepped out onto the dance floor and the two of them danced the day away.
Several hours later
"That was great! I can't believe you got that wasted! Hahahaha!"
Jack had Shepard practically draped over her shoulder as they almost stumbled out of the club and into the elevator.
"Didn't it used to take fucking ryncol in order for you to get that drunk?"
"Ugh, yeah about that. Apparently the ryncol burned out a couple of my cybernetics so now I can't process alcohol like I used to. Chackwas and Miranda gave me a hell of a talking to after that night. I still recover quickly from being drunk though. So just…give me a minute."
Jack laughed. " You had to crash on Aria's couch. You should have seen the look on your face when you woke up! You were like, 'did we have sex?' And the real funny thing is even when you're completely shit faced you're still a completely shit dancer!"
They both couldn't hold back their laughter at that. Shepard took a moment to just watch her laugh. She's changed so much, grown up so much. It made him feel… proud of her. And proud of himself for falling for her.
Of course it was at this moment that his stomach began to heave.
"Oh fuck no you are not throwing up in the elevator Shepard!"
Jack hit a button on the elevator and quickly hauled Shepard out into the Presidium commons where she shoved him out of the elevator so he could find a nice patch of floor to puke on in an open space.
Luckily, Shepard managed to get the heaves under control.
"Just so we're clear, if you ever throw up on this jacket, I will fucking shockwave your ass all the way back to Tuchunka."
"Noted," groaned Shepard as he took a moment to wait for his stomach to settle down. He'd have to thank Miranda next time he saw her for all the improvements to his bodies' natural systems.
About a minute later, Shepard could feel the effects of the alcohol wearing off. He stood up and shook his head. No splitting headache, he was ready and able to go.
"Damn, gotta say its kinda creepy how you recover from that so quick. Benefits of being 'technically undead' huh?"
"You could say that."
Now feeling considerably better, he stood back up and turned around to face Jack.
"Well now that we've got that out of the way. How long do you have until you need to get back?"
"I've got awhile. And you know," she moved closer to Shepard, "Since we didn't get a whole lot of time on the Normandy before you had to drop me off, I'd say you still have to apologize to me some more."
Her lips were right next to Shepard's ear and her tone of voice was almost giving him goosebumps. As well as making his pants feel much smaller than they actually were.
"I'd say it's about time we find someplace private and for you to apologize to me as much as you possibly can. Sound good?"
"I'd be lying if I said that didn't sound very…" he got a little distracted as she nibbled his earlobe a bit. "…very good."
"Yeah?"
"I'm game if you are," Shepard moved to do some teasing of his own but Jack suddenly pulled away from him.
"Good. Cause I haven't been laid in months. And I sure as hell am not leaving until I've gotten some."
The tactical mind of Commander Shepard, the mind that had gotten him through countless life or death situations instantly began to devote all its considerable power to think of areas around the Presidium commons that would allow for some privacy.
"There's some apartments in the back of the commons that always seem to be abandoned."
"Then what the fuck are we waiting for? Let's go!" Jack grabbed Shepards hand and basically led him thought commons.
To Shepard's surprise, two of the back apartments were full today. As their impassioned and rather mobile make out session grew more and more heated, both of them swore that if the next apartment had anybody inside they would use their respective biotics to throw them out of the room.
Luckily, the next apartment seemed to be empty but the door was locked. Losing her patience, Jack used her biotics to rip the lock open. The door offered no more resistance to its empty confines.
Even better, there was a nice perfectly functional bed inside.
Both of them almost leapt onto the bed. Shepard on the bottom and Jack on top. Once there, Jack pulled her face away from Shepards to give him a genuine smile before diving back in.
The glow of both of their biotics suffused the room in blue light as they kissed.
"Mmmmmmm, apology accepted. Several times."
The now thoroughly exhausted couple was lying down with their limbs still entangled together. Jack rested her head against Shepard's chest listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.
Meanwhile Shepard took quick stock of the room. Various articles of clothing were strewn all around the entire apartment. And there were several large dents in the walls from accidental use of biotic power.
"You're not easy to apologize to that's for sure."
"Mmm hmm."
"Still kinda fun though."
Jack chuckled deeply and raised her head to kiss Shepard again. Nothing too heated, just another slow and intimate kiss between the two of them before she set her head down again with a contended sigh.
But as much as she wished they could just stay like this longer, she knew better than most that you don't survive long by ignoring the shit going on. And she had to ask.
"So where are you going after this?"
"The bathroom most likely."
"Dumbass."
Shepard smiled a bit and ran his fingers through Jack's hair as he thought about his next big mission.
"Now that Cerberus has been kicked off the Citadel, I'm going to search for the Quarian fleet."
"Where do you think they are?"
"From what I've been able to gather, they've traveled to the Persius Vale. I'm going to meet some of their admirals to try and get their fleet to join up with ours. They've got the largest damn fleet in the galaxy, and we sure as hell could use it."
Jack's tone grew cynical. "But knowing your luck its not going to be easy as that."
"You know me too well Jack. Yeah, if they're in the Vale, that means the Geth are involved somehow."
Shepard gave a long suffering sigh.
"I'm afraid they've gone and done something stupid. And it's going to be up to me to pull their asses out of the fire."
Silence fell between the two for a few moments as Jack contemplated Shepard's words.
"There's something else isn't there? Something on your mind."
Damn, she's getting better at this soft stuff than I am. Shepard thought. But he had to admit, she was right.
"I'm wondering what the cost is going to be, and who's going to be the one paying it."
"What do you mean?"
"You hear about what happened on Tuchunka?"
"Just what everyone else heard, that you cured the genophage and got the Krogan to enter the fight. Not much else. Why?"
Shepard steeled himself.
"Mordin sacrificed himself to cure the genophage."
Jack frowned as comprehension dawned on her.
"There was no other way. But he was happy to do it. He was willing to lay down his life to cure the genophage he modified. To give the Krogan a future again."
He took a deep breath to calm himself. "The thing I'm trying to say is. I know the Reapers can be beaten. I know we can win. But I know that the cost is going to be high. And I'm wondering how many more of my people are going to have to be sacrificed in order to win."
He blew out a breath of exasperation. "Hell, you were right. I do sound like a pussy."
"Yeah you do," Jack answered instantly. "But its kinda part of your charm."
"Ha! Thanks Jack."
"Sure. But…worrying about your guys, yeah I get where you're coming from Shepard."
"Worried about your students?"
"Fuck no. Those little shits know damn well that if they die I'll biotically slam their asses right back to life. And then I'll fucking kill them myself!"
Shepard smiled sadly. He knew she was putting up a brave front. Losing her students would hurt her. And she knew this. That's my girl.
It seemed to Shepard lying to oneself was common among soldiers. At least when it came to the survival about those they cared about. Hell these days, it was common for everybody to do that.
"And like I said, anyone screws with my students, I will tear them apart no matter who or what they are."
"Don't mess with the all powerful bitch huh?"
"Damn right and don't you forget it Shepard. And… I'm sorry about Mordin."
"Yeah. Me too."
Jack may not have been exactly all buddy, buddy with anyone from the suicide mission. But she respected and..kinda liked the members of the team. Except for Miranda. Though after the cheerleader gave the Illusive Man the finger Jack actually gained a small amount of respect for her. Though she'd spit glass before she said that out loud.
Both of them thought back to their interactions with Mordin. Shepard thinking about all the conversations he had with him and Jack thinking about all the times she told him to fuck off when he asked for a nerve sample.
"You know," Shepard suddenly said as he remembered something rather funny. "It was Mordin who gave me those videos that showed all the 'inventive' uses mass effect fields can have."
"Wait what?" Jack raised herself to look at Shepard's face. "Mordin gave you those?"
"Yep. I think it was his way of playing matchmaker."
"Well shit now I really do miss that Salarian."
Shepard got a bit of a laugh out of that. "Thanks again Jack."
"Seriously, that shits the most fun I can have with my biotics without using them to blow something up."
Just as Shepard was about to say something, his communicator beeped.
"Commander?" Joker had never grated on his nerves more than this moment.
With an inaudible sigh, Shepard answered.
"What is it Joker? And bear in mind that it better be damn important."
"Oh. Uh, sorry sir. Just calling in to tell you everyone is ready to leave when you are. You did tell me to tell you that we need to go meet the Quarians ASAP. Just following orders sir."
Shepard looked down at Jack who had a quiet request in her eyes. Just a little while longer?
"Tell everyone I'll be there in about an hour."
"Aye, aye sir. Sorry to barge in. Ask Jack to please not kill me."
"I'll ask, no guarantees though."
"Terrific," Joker disconnected.
"I think I'm gonna kill him," Jack said as soon as the connection was severed.
"Could it wait until after the Reapers are gone? I kinda need my ship to have a pilot."
"Psh," Jack snorted. "The damn ship can fly herself now can't she?"
"Yeah but its just not quite the same."
Jack went quiet again as she thought of when she had to get back to duty as well.
"Eh, probably for the best. I'm gonna have to get back pretty soon as well. Those little shits are useless without me. And you've got no idea how much trouble they can get into without me to babysit them.
"Never really pictured you as the babysitting type."
"Yeah well it's a lot harder than you'd think. This being dependable shit. You know I blame you for this situation I'm in."
Shepard stroked her back, tracings random patterns on her skin.
"Poor you. Want me to…apologize for that too?" he asked as he moved into another position and began gently planting kisses along the scars on her neck. Elicting a soft moan from Jack.
"Mhnn, I guess one more apology wouldn't hurt."
She turned toward his face and returned his kisses.
They stayed like that for as long as they could.
Shepard and Jack walked side by side toward what many people were calling, the Normandy's personal docking bay.
Along the way, Shepard had decided to hold onto Jack's hand and though she looked like she was seriously contemplating maiming him, she tightened her grip around Shepard's hand as well.
But before long, the familiar visage of the Normandy greeted them from beyond the window of the docking bay. Waiting for her commander to direct her.
"Well guess this is it."
"Don't say it like that dumbass. Sounds too final."
Shepard grinned sheepishly. "You got a point. Take care of yourself Jack. Be careful out there."
"Hell Shepard, I'll be fine. You're the one who's got some sort of addiction to suicidal odds."
"What can I say? Life's more fun that way. I'll see you around Jack."
"Later Shepard."
As he gave her one last kiss and began to walk back alone to the Normandy, Their hands reluctantly letting go of their grip. Then Jack said something on impulse that she thought she'd never be able to honestly say in her life.
"I love you," she said in little more than a whisper.
Shepard turned around. "You say something Jack?"
She quickly recomposed herself to cover her slip. "I said don't get killed dumbass."
But the look in Shepard's eyes told her she had heard exactly what she said.
"I love you too."
With that Shepard boarded the Normandy and within minutes, the frigate departed, ready to give the Reapers hell in any way it could.
Jack stayed and watched the Normandy leave until it was out of sight.