Joker stood silently over the two lots of slightly raised ground in front of him. Around him, rain pounded mercilessly over the ruined grounds of Tiptree, soaking his uniform and running down his face in harsh lines.
He hadn't moved for a while, couldn't quite find the motivation to. The Normandy was safely under EDI's remote influence around the planet and he had been told there was no rush to leave. He piloted the shuttle down here himself, so it wasn't like he was keeping anyone waiting. Well...
A chrome hand, slightly below regular temperature, landed softly on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly so that he was able to see her out of the corner of his eye.
EDI had insisted on coming.
He hadn't really felt like company, not for this, but now he was slightly glad she was here. He felt alone enough already as it was.
He automatically placed a hand over hers before returning his focus to the ground again.
Hailey would have liked her, he knew it. She was like him, with her love for space and her dream of being a pilot. He imagined the four of them sitting in their old house together. He could picture EDI going on about some aspect of something technical that he didn't understand; it would bore him but he'd stay with them anyway, enjoying watching EDI happily share her knowledge while Hailey sat hooked on her every word, and his father would be sitting in his chair by the heating system watching with a proud expression on his face. He pictured them all smiling.
The thought both warmed his heart and pained his chest.
Yeah, they would have gotten on well.
"Jeff.." She came to stand next to him now, sliding her hand into his, the cold metal feeling slightly warm now against his freezing skin. "The weather is rapidly deteriorating. I am concerned you may risk injury should we stay much longer."
He looked down at their linked hands. He new EDI did her best to mimic human behaviour. She told him once that it was for the crew's sake, to make them feel more comfortable around her metallic form, but recently he'd noticed her doing some seemingly without realising and he new for a fact that she enjoyed partaking in particular human behaviours, even if she wouldn't always admit it.
He brought his gaze up to study her face, his eyes narrowing slightly against the rain. It appeared the time they had spent under heavy rain had affected the casing on her hair, causing it to separate into fibres instead of the usual solid structure. The fibres now hung loosely around her head, moving slightly in the heavy wind. Rain dripped quickly from the ends of each one, large droplets adding to the puddles already around them. She hated having no control over her hair, and the mental image of her getting frustrated trying to get it back into place almost made him smile.
Almost.
"I would have like to have met them." She was staring at the same spot he was a moment ago. The pain his chest returned at the sound of genuine sadness in her smooth voice.
"Yeah, you would've liked 'em." EDI straightened ever so slightly at the comment, shifting slightly.
"I would like to believe the feeling would be mutual."
His smile returned briefly and he took a deep breath while trying to straighten himself slightly. The joints in his legs clicked and resisted slightly before obeying and he took that as a sign that EDI had been right. Much longer here and not only would the ache in his legs get far worse, but he'd have one hell of a cold in the morning as well.
She had said nothing as he muttered his goodbyes to the silent graves in front of him, even though she no doubt wanted to question the logic behind his actions, and for that he was grateful to her.
"Come on." He tugged on her hand slightly, turning them back towards to shuttle. "Time to get back."
The trip back was silent aside from the rain and the slight noise of EDI's mechanics moving every time they took a step.
He didn't look back as EDI helped him on the steps of the shuttle, nor when the door finally closed eventually blocking the sight from view.
He was heading to the pilots chair when the weight on his shoulder returned again and made him turn. He watched somewhat confused as EDI seemed to hesitate, before she stepped forward and he felt cold arms wrap gently around his neck. The action caused his soaking clothes to stick to him even more, but he didn't move.
"I am sorry for your loss, Jeff."
He pulled his arms up to hook carefully round her waist, closing his eyes tightly to prevent them from tearing up and betraying him. He leaned into her cool frame slightly and felt her grip on him tighten, ever careful to keep him from falling.
"Thanks, EDI."
She unwrapped herself from him slowly, her expression unreadable as usual. Once free, he watched as she took one of the seats towards the back of the shuttle, placing her hands carefully in her lap and pulling an almost blank expression he recognised to mean she was contemplating something.
He turned and took his seat in the pilots chairs, flicking a few buttons as he sat down. The shuttle hummed loudly as it's engines kicked back into life, the consoles gradually lighting up one by one and he felt himself relaxing somewhat for the first time in hours.
"Jeff, may I make a request?" EDI's voice easily carried over any sounds the shuttle could make, breaking the silence he was enjoying. He didn't turn from his consoles as he answered, the response seeming more like a sigh than his normal cheery voice.
"Go for it.." He heard her shift slightly, probably moving to a closer seat.
"I would like for us to return here again in future." More clunking could be heard as she further closed the distance between them, the alloy on her feet meeting the harsh metal that coated the floor of the shuttle. "I would like to learn more about your family and to...remember them."
The sincerity and significance behind the request wasn't lost on him and Joker smiled sadly, his eyes threatening to betray him further. He was sure she wouldn't fall for the "it's just the rain" line again this time. Taking another deep breath, he enter the command to return to the Normandy. Once they were in the air he turned just enough to see her stood not too far behind him now.
"I think I'd like that." He heard the soft mechanics in her adjust as she nodded, seemingly content with his answer. He turned his attention back to the console, watching in front as the Normandy slowing swam back into view and against all of it he found himself smiling slightly. "Oh, and EDI?"
"Yes, Jeff?"
He shifted in his chair, straightening himself up.
"I have no doubt the feeling would be mutual."
A/N: Thanks for reading!
In case anyone missed it in their play through, the story is based around the information about Joker's sister, Hilary, that you hear from the Asari huntress in the medical wards. The clip can be found online.