R.I.P
Jennifer Valentine.26th June.
She was turning 28 next month. They were off by a few months when it was decided to celebrate her birthday on the 27th April, the day she broke free from the clutches of Cerberus. From now on, it will be the 26th of June and they would know how many candles to light instead of just the one she always insisted.
Her husband waited with their daughter on a field not too far away, watching patiently, letting her absorb the clarity the moment presented. It took her a month to finally gather the courage to see her former resting place. When Liara came to visit, supposedly to take a break from her full time shadow broking job, she suspected she had a hidden agenda. Of course, Shepard knew and was the one who encourage Liara to pursue the whole nine yards. She didn't know what to make of it and was not sure whether it would make any difference. She was Jack now aka Subject Zero. Would knowing her previous, could have been life make her a better person. Shepard said it would give her closure, was something that would change her world profoundly. Shepard and Thana was her world she countered. But Shepard gave her one of his pleading looks that always won her over, the bastard. If she wasn't so fond of his face and his hot bod, he would be lying in a hospital bed already. But gawd, she loves that man and would do anything to see him happy. If he asked her to jump off a cliff, she would do it in a heartbeat and ask questions later.
Surprisingly her former grave was well kept. She made her peace and turned to her new beginning. Walking slowly towards the people she cared the most about in her life. They in turn, noticing her approach reciprocate by tottering off her way. She could see the big grin on Thana's face and the familiar smirk of her husband. Meeting halfway on the small track, she was gracefully enveloped by a pair of strong arms lifting her slender figure slightly off the ground. The couple watched Thana ran off with Kelly to where her mother recently stood mystified by the event that took place.
"I hate you.." she said to her husband, eyes narrowing in disgust.
"..for always being right.." she continued.
" I hate you too..for being so goddamn beautiful my heart aches.." He replied, lips tethering closed to her own.
"Gawd you're cheesy .." rolling her eyes in despair.
"You love cheese." He stated, which was true, she loves cheese and bacon and ice cream and most food.
"Hate you even more now.." head dipping to land a kiss on the hated man's smirking lips.
The kiss was slow, unhurried, both savoring the taste of each other's passion, absorbed by the deep emotion of togetherness.
"Ahem, excuse me.." a small delicate voice interrupted the couple's heightening desire.
"Busy, go away" was Jack's usual reply.
"I can see that but if you could maybe just move to the side a bit so I can just slip through." The voice argued.
"The Fu.." Breaking the kiss, Jack turned and faced the one who dared to interfere whilst subject zero is in the throes of passion.
Shepard already snapped out of his drunken state quickly took control of the situation.
"We apologize ma'am." Slightly bowing his head towards the petite middle age lady, he shifted himself and dragged his simmering wife to the side of the narrow pathway to allow the woman passage.
Jack stared with smoldering eyes at the woman as she passed. The cheeky old woman bravely returned the stare unflinchingly, daring Jack to make a move.
"Pftt.." Jack snorted but with a trace of amusement.
"A lot of fire still in that one." Shepard complimented as he observed the exchanged.
"Well, I wouldn't mind looking like her when I'm 100 years old." Jack added but emphasizing the number a bit loud just to bug the elderly lady. Then again she really didn't mind looking like that when she was at that stage in life. The lady although petite, had a massive presence and even now her beauty shines through. Jack could imagine what a looker she was in her younger days.
"Must have turned heads in her younger days." Shepard stated agreeing with Jack.
"She reminds me of someone though" he added, brows furrowed trying to figure out who it is.
"Maybe she's one of your exes' mothers" Jack snickered.
Shepard was still deep in thought matching the feature of the petite lady to the people he knew. Beautiful brown eyes, straight slightly pert nose and full lips still luscious even now. His eyes snapped up at his wife as she made the remark.
"Whacha' doing?" Thana's singsong voice travelled to their ears. Both parents quickly turned to see Thana engaging the lady who was standing at the same place Jack previously occupied.
Jack's gasp was audible and the expression on her face confirmed what Shepard had suspected and what she too was now thinking and ..hoping. They strode quickly but nervously over to where their daughter was. Thana was looking up at the petite lady with her big blue eyes expecting a reply. Kelly ever the annoying busy body, tried prompting the lady to answer by rubbing herself against her shin.
"Just visiting a loved one, dear." The lady replied.
"She must be special. My mother visits her ..ni..fer..Va..len..tiny.." Thana said as she slowly read the name on the holographic tombstone. Her reading skill still a bit limited although she could blow a person sky high if she wanted to.
"Who.." the lady never got to finish her sentence as Thana ran up and launched herself biotically into her mother's arms. It was the beautiful tattooed woman that was giving her the evil eyes earlier.
"Mommy! I made a friend." Thana exclaimed happily.
"That's great honey." Jack said with a touch of nerves in her voice.
"Are you ok mommy? " Extremely sensitive to her mother's emotion nothing escaped Thana's attention.
"Mommy just needs to chat with your friend for a bit."
"Here Thana. Keep Daddy company for a while." Shepard held his arms open urging Thana to leap unto him.
"We'll be close by." Shepard softly said to Jack, pecking her on the lips gently encouraging her before strolling away slightly but still within earshot.
The two women stared at each other both eyeing the other up, contemplating what their next move should be.
"Hey." Jack greeted then right away cursed herself for her casualness.
"Hello." the lady answered with a tinge of suspicion.
Seconds rolled by without a word being uttered. Then,
"Are you a biotic as well?" The older lady asked.
"Yup. That's what you become when you swim in eezo. " Jack explained.
"Passed it to her I guess…the genes." Mumbling away hoping to get to what she really wanted to ask.
"She's lovely, your daughter." A beautiful smile graced the lady's feature as she complemented Thana. The sight nearly made Jack cry with joy. She had to know, made sure, it was now or never.
"Who was she?" the question was blurted out almost too abruptly and harshly. Fuck, Jack thought, I'm scaring her away. But to her surprise, the woman looked straight into her eyes, surrendered a heavy sigh and answered.
"This is where my baby's soul was laid to rest although you will find no remains buried here. She was taken almost as quickly as she was given to me. I only held her a few hours before she got sick and taken away." Her face was a picture of sadness as she recalled the painful memories.
"They didn't even let me see her and hold her one last time. They just took her. I couldn't do anything, single mother, orphaned, no family and friends. I was helpless. " Tears welled up in her eyes but were quickly wiped off by determined hands.
"The real question is who is she to you?" facing Jack with such intensity that could scare a krogan she asked Jack, Subject Zero, The Psychotic Biotic.
Jack was a tall woman, standing 6 feet with boots on but even looking down at the petite woman she was mesmerized by the power the small lady exhumed. But Jack had met lots of powerful people and the way to deal with them was head on. So she decided for the honest no holds bar truth.
"My name is Jack. It's what I called myself now. I was taken as a baby to a facility run by Cerberus in Teltin because of the high level of element zero in my body. I don't know who my parents were where I came from, how old I am, all I knew was what they referred me as: Subject Zero. They experimented on me, trained me to be the strongest human biotic alive and taught me to become a killer." Jack paused to see the disgust appear on the lady's feature but none came. Perplexed, she continued.
"One day I practiced what they taught me and escaped. Had a few run in with the law and was finally captured and iced on purgatory. That's where I met Shepard. He rescued me." A small smile escaped Jack's lips at the mention of her husband.
"Now I'm married and I have a daughter." Stealing a glance at her family, Jack's feature lit up beautifully.
"A month ago I found out my birth name and an hour ago I visited my grave."
Jack stared straight into the pair of brown eyes much like her. Watching and waiting for something she didn't know what. No change presented in the woman's face.
" And what is your birth name?" The lady asked, holding her demeanor.
" I was born Jennifer Valentine."
Silence ruled the few seconds as the two women stood staring at each other.
"Turn around and loosen your pants." The older lady suddenly ordered.
"Eh! The fu.." Jack stammered. Of all the things she expected her to say it was not that.
"TURN AND SHOW ME YOUR ASS." The lady roared with such tenacity, Jack found herself dropping her pants with her back facing the petite lady. Thank god she wore underwear nowadays otherwise she'd be showing more than her butt to her potential mother candidate.
The lady peered down and concentrated on Jack's ass.
Shepard had been watching and listening all the while and was on the verge of interrupting but stopped himself when he figured out what the lady was up to. Catching Jack's questioning look he gave her a small nod to assure her. The frown on Jack's face showed her confusion at his assertion but she allowed herself be examined.
Jack didn't know what was happening. But she was sure blowing up who could be her mother biotically was not a good idea. Although, checking someone butt so intensively on a first meeting is hardly normal well. She caught Shepard's eyes because he always seemed to make the right decision (bastard) and saw him give a small nod. Jack decided to wade it through.
After less than a minute of close examination the older woman signaled Jack to put her pants back up. Jack, brows furrowed, eyes demanding an explanation, glared at her, anger close to breaking point.
"Thank you." She uttered, surprising the biotic again with her words.
Taking a deep breath, the lady let out the heaviest sigh Jack had ever heard from a small woman.
"My name is Joss Valentine. I believe I am your mother."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Come on, sexy. Get your fine starry butt up or we're gonna be late." Shepard urged his sleeping wife, smacking the said butt lovingly.
"ugh..I'll give you a star on your fucking butt if you don't lemme sleep.." The owner of the star butt replied groggily. She does take her evening nap time seriously.
"Fine, 10 minutes, that's all you get." Settling himself down next to his wife's sleeping form to join her, nuzzling the back of her neck where the familiar scar ran across. The little gesture turned from innocent into indecent when he felt himself getting the familiar reaction whenever in close contact with his wife especially when she was naked. The feeling was mutual as Jack's body responded readily to his bulging desire.
Half an hour later, the couple reluctantly stepped into their massive bathroom in order to start the hectic day that had been planned for them. What was supposed to be a quick shower turned into another bout of passionate love-making and thus when Mr. and Mrs. Shepard came out of the shower they were already late. Shepard contacted the restaurant that had their reservation to inform of their late arrival and was fortunate to be able to hold the table for another hour.
As he put on his new dress suit, Shepard watched his wife put on her sexy G-string to wear under the new black dress he got her. As she bent down, his eyes caught the little star shaped birth mark that had always fascinated him. The special mark that was only familiar to a lover whose eyes had roamed every inch and remembers every detail on his wife's body or a mother's loving eyes. Apparently Jack didn't know she even had a mark on her which surprised both her husband and newly found mother but he supposed it was situated rather at an odd angle.
"Stop looking at my ass, perv." Jack chimed in interrupting his thought.
"Can't. It's calling out to me. It's like a little siren." Shepard complaint, eyes mesmerized by the sight in a zombie like fashion.
"Ass..asss…need asss.." Shepard imitating a badly reanimated corpse teribbly.
"Jackass.." Jack rolled her eyes and strode towards the walk-in closet that held their wardrobe.
"Jaacckkasss…need Jackasss.." Shepard continued.
As part of a birthday gift, Joss had given Jack and Shepard a free weekend getaway in one of the luxurious hotels in London complete with complimentary dinner just for the two of them. Since Jack had already celebrated her birthday in April, they agreed to forego another celebration until next year. The time off would also give Joss the time to bond with Thana as she had eagerly agreed to babysit for the weekend. Jack and Shepard love Thana with all their being but that don't mean they weren't thankful for the break.
Dinner was wonderful and most importantly, filling. The menu even though delicately and intricately decorated held enough substance to satisfy a starving biotic. After their second dessert, Jack was absolutely grinning with delight.
"We should come here again. This stuff is damn good." She said with mouth full of banoffi pie and cream.
"Might be hard babe. The place is fully reserved until Thana's about 20." It was the truth. The restaurant had a following almost bordering close to a cult with its continuous bookings. It was a wonder Joss had managed to get them a table. Maybe there was more to the old lady than they know.
"Really?! I wonder how Joss got us in then." Jack replaying Shepard's thought. Jack still hasn't got to the point of calling her mom yet.
After dinner, they climb into their waiting space limo and watched the world go by silently holding each other closed while driven off comfortably back home to Thana.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The apartment was awfully dim when Shepard and Jack stepped in. Shepard could see the frown on Jack's face, worries starting to fill her mind as she had expected to see Thana running straight into her arms. Putting a hand on her arm, he cautions her as he switched the main light on.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
It was a good thing Shepard held Jack off or they would have had a happy birthday indeed with everybody blown to pieces in their little apartment. Due to Shepard's intervention, Jack was able to restraint herself from releasing a shockwave that would have crippled everyone in the room.
"WHAT THE HELL PEOPLE!" Jack glowering after the initial shock died.
"Happy Birthday Mommy!" Thana, right on cue, as planned flew into her mother's arms diffusing the situation.
"Happy birthday Jack" Joss, standing behind Thana said to her daughter, eyes brimming with emotions.
"Thank you…" Jack stood nervously in front of her mother, then slowly reached over, hugged the petite lady in tight embrace and almost in a whisper said "..mom..".
"Is it safe to come out now?" A familiar voice broke the emotional bonding between previously lost mother and daughter.
"Yes Joker. It's safe. You can all come out now." Shepard announced using his commandeering voice.
"Good. My back was killing me. Must be getting old." Garrus popped out from behind the counter cum sink of the open planned kitchen. He was dressed in full armour with shields on. Tali popped out from behind him.
"Phew. That was the scary." Tali was wiping actual sweat off her face.
A few more people came into view, some from behind the couch, and some from leaning against the wall. All were ready for the accidental blow out.
"I told her it was bad idea." Garrus leaned over to Shepard and whispered while shedding the armour off, "but nearly got my head bit off. And when she found out I got the wrong cake. She actually tried to. Now I know where Jack got her temp.."
"Scarface. Go get the cake. There better be enough candles on it." Joss barked at Garrus, eyes narrowing like a very nasty drill sergeant.
"Sir, yes ma'am,Sir, Ma'am." Garrus stood abruptly, saluted and marched like a good soldier, not even throwing Shepard a glance.
"I'll go help him." And Tali vanished just as fast.
"You are something else, Joss." Shepard complimented whilst grinning in admiration at his mother in law.
The party was a success. Joss had astounding organizational skills. All the years she spent running an orphanage, developed a keen sense of empathy in her part that contributed greatly in reaching out and communicating with all walks of life. Thus Joss was accepted into the folds of Shepard's and Jack's lives remarkably well, although different people had differing ideas about her. Ashley and Vega find her a sweet old lady just like their mother. Liara saw a strong respectful woman. Garrus and Tali were scared but at the same time adored her. Joker thinks she was on crack. EDI thought she was exactly like Jack. Meanwhile, Chakwas and Joss became best buddies in an instant.
Chakwas ran the test that confirmed Joss' and Jack's matching DNA and afterwards the two hit it off like they've known each other for ages. They still don't know a lot of her past but what mattered the most was the present and the future. The question of who Jack's father was came up only once and was dismissed almost as soon as it was mentioned. The only clue Joss left was that he was a handsome bastard called Tony who went missing the next day after the deed was done. Shepard asked Jack how she felt about it and when she answered
"If she's cool about it then I'm cool." He knew she was alright.
The arrival of Admiral Hackett was a huge surprised. Shepard had extended an invitation but didn't expect the man himself to show up. A few people got a bit uptight when the admiral graced their company but after a while loosen up when Hackett didn't seemed bother about ranks and order.
When Chakwas saw the admiral himself speaking with Shepard and Jack, she scrambled over with a distracted Joss in tow. In the festivity, Joss had lost her bracelet. Chakwas wasn't too worried though since it will surely turn up in the morning when everybody was less intoxicated. Hackett sighted Chakwas first and greeted her merrily.
"Chakwas. How is the good doctor these days?"
"Admiral,.."
"Just Hackett tonight Chakwas."
"Very well, Hackett. It's been a long time. Let me introduce you to Jack's mother." Chakwas gestured towards the petite woman. Joss had her head down, looking at the floor for signs of her precious bracelet.
"Joss Valentine meet Admiral Hackett." Chakwas introduced.
Joss finally looked up and faced the waiting admiral. Blood drained off of both faces as recognition took placed.
"TONY?!" from Joss.
"JAMIE?!" from Hackett.
"Tony?" from Shepard.
"Jamie?" from Jack.
"O..M…G" from Chakwas.
To Be or Not To Be Continued…I honestly don't know…
a/n: I know. It's a bit OTT but what the hell. It kept bugging me so I had to. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I suck grammatically.