Never Let Me Go

Chapter 1

The rhythmic thumps of the thick booted soles against the floors, echoed dully through the large room. The sound seemed to be the only thing keeping her mounting rage at bay, for now.

With a low grunt she spun around and made her way anxiously across the room once again. Jack could feel all eyes on her, she avoided the prying looks by keeping her head lowered. The heavy feelings of doubt and remorse crept at the edges of her mind. This was all a big fucking mistake. By coming here, she had put lives of kids she grew fond of in danger. By staying at Grissom Academy, Jack might as well have marked the station with a gigantic X-marks-the-spot for Cerberus to find.

She'd be the reason the students would be taken prisoner against their wills, drugged and experimented on - like what had happened to her on Pragia.

Flashes of repressed memories she thought long gone, made her breath stand still; like a punch to the gut she leaned over. The tip of her fingers brushed lightly against the long red scar that came all the way up her abdomen and chest and divided into two branches above her breasts.

Restrained and unable to move her arms or legs, the little girl's mind filled with horror and fear as she saw the glint of a blade lower over her naked body.

She had followed them as they marked her skin with lines, circles and numbers. It had hurt, when the needle pieced her skin to mark it with ink, but she had handled it without showing any sign of pain - Subject Zero would rather die than give these monsters the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

This time was different, no amount of self-control could stop the screams coming from deep inside her throat.

The unaffected white-clad forms blurred and swam at the edge of her vision as her eyes followed the knife cut deep into her skin, crimson streams of blood seeping down the sides of her body.

Like meeting with an old friend, her mind found escape from the pain through the black sea of unconsciousness.

Her trembling fingers quickly balled into fists.

Jack could still feel the remains of overpowering horror and helplessness as she had watched the Cerberus scientists operate on her. The fuckers could have at least put her under before they cut her open to add their cursed implants. She had been made into a living weapon. Well, payback's a bitch. This time she would show them just how deadly she was. She'd laugh as her mind tore the Illusive Man limb from limb - it would be her turn to watch as he screamed.

The boiling red anger and hate she felt for him burst into a blue biotic pulse that surrounded her tense frame as if struck by electricity. Without her knowledge, the inanimate furniture and objects around her began shaking and floating on their own accord.

"M-Ma'am?..."

The slight tremor in the feminine voice instantly brought her back to reality. Jack looked into Rodriguez's worried blue eyes and lowered her arms to her sides in defeat; powering down her biotics.

"What is it Rodriguez?"

The girl's fingers were furiously punching at her omni-tool, "Someone is hacking the main door in Orion Hall!"

"Biotic Shields up! Get ready to attack!"

Hearing a dangerous edge in their teacher's voice, the students did as they were told.

Jack hurried to the open balcony that looked over the gigantic room held up by white stone walls and pillars. Grissom Academy was beautifully designed, and Jack had enjoyed the elaborate architecture, greenery and aesthetic ponds during her stay here. But none of that mattered now, her eyes were focused on one thing and one thing only. The main door.

With a few short beeps, Red turned to green.

She saw the bulky white armor first; she didn't need to look at the familiar gold logo, she knew it all too well. Their presence here meant that Jack and her few students were the last line of defense left. The others at the academy were either dead or abducted. Her thoughts went to Kahlee.

"Shit!"

Her eyes swept the room and quickly locked on her students individually, the atmosphere too tense for words. Giving the balcony a wide berth, she was surrounded with blue fire. Funneling all her rage, she ran as fast as she could, leaping over the balcony - her biotics flaring around her brightly and easily supporting her against the station's artificial gravity. Light as a feather and with a wide arc of her arms, she pulled her shield up as her feet touched the ground.

"Subject Zero! Capture her!"

"Like hell!" she spat with venom in her voice.

Bullets came flying at her from all corners as the Cerberus force dispersed around the room.

Cerberus had taken no chances when storming Grissom's Academy, they sent a whole fucking army. Jack could hear the sounds of firing weapons and bullets showering her shields, sweat beads formed against her hairline as she sent shockwave after shockwave - making the enemy fly and explode in every which-way from the force of her biotics.

Her students cheered at her on from the balcony, she couldn't help a small lop-sided grin.

The open room suddenly shook as a large machine crouched through the doorway and slowly advanced closer - cannons raised.

"I will destroy you!" Jack let out as a battle cry, hurling herself towards the large mech.

Using one of its mechanical arms as support, she leaped through the air, punched through the protective window and crushed the man's helmet with her mind, in mere seconds. The Atlas stood inert as she jumped down and shoved it onto two Cerberus soldiers - instantly crushing and pinning them down.

"Ma'am, they're on the top floor!" Prangley yelled, as Rodriguez cried in pain.

"Fuck!" The biotic felt the hair raise on the back of her neck. She promised herself never to let anyone hurt her students; she wouldn't fail them. Fear and anger mixed as she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Ripping through the fabric of space, a giant singularity manifested into existence right smack in the middle of the soldiers' path. With a cry of surprise they were lifted off of their feet like ragged dolls and in a split second, disappeared into the vortex. The strong suction threatened to pull everything inside, wind rushing from all around the room. Pulling onto her biotic strings again, Jack got rid of it not to put her students in any further danger.

On the other side of the room, running at top speed armored Cerberus troops tried to reach cover but Jack was one step ahead of them. With a grunt, she sent them a well aimed shockwave. They went flying off the ledge.

Out of breath, she felt her limbs shaking from exhaustion. She was now hunched over, sweat dripping down her face, arms and legs.

Finally a respite.

No! She couldn't stop now, she had to push past her limits. She had to protect her students!

"How's... Rod... riguez?" she gasped breathlessly, at Prangley

"She'll be ok, she took a bullet to the arm but we patched her up with some Medi-gel," Prangley wasn't one to show emotion, but this time his face expressed alarm, "Are you... alright?"

"Yeah... I'll be... right over."

The biotic was still out of breath, gathering every little bit of strength left.

Her attention on the balcony Jack didn't noticed the three figures now making their way inside.

A lone injured Cerberus soldier stood behind a pillar, and peeked around it. He saw his chance, with precision he took out his rocket launcher and balanced its heavy weight on his shoulder. He carefully aimed it at the hunched-over form of Subject Zero and pressed the trigger.

"Jack, look out!"

Shepard? Was she hallucinating? Was she so out of it that her mind was fantasizing the tall commander coming to her help?

Everything went into slow motion. Shifting her body around, she saw the familiar face yelling and waving at her. There was Shepard, pointing to her right. Eyebrows raised in confusion she saw the rocket coming at her in her peripheral vision and barely had any time to strengthen her biotic shield before being hit full blast in the side. On instinct, she raised her arms to protect herself, but the huge blast of the explosion threw her four feet into the air and had her crash into the wall. Luckily a bench cushioned her fall and she rolled onto the floor, unconscious.

The whole space station was overrun by Cerberus. Commander Shepard was concerned to see so many enemies at the school for biotics. No matter how many times he tried to shake it off, a dark ominous feeling had washed over him and was ever omnipresent. Cerberus was up to no good and if they were going after biotic students, Shepard could easily imagine what that meant - experiments and biotic super soldiers.

Jack.

He felt a pang of sadness thinking of the slender, opinionated tattooed woman. His whole being missed her presence, the last six months had seem so long without the beautiful, rebel biotic at his side. He had to admit, he had fallen hard for Jack while on his mission to destroy the Collector base. Those were simpler times... Shepard had to kick himself inwardly. But he was right; compared to the current Reaper invasion engaging the galaxy in a hopeless war, his time fighting the Collectors had been a breeze.

In mid-stride Shepard found a clip lying on the floor and reloaded his assault rifle, mildly irritated with himself.

Of all the places to think about Jack...

A voice sounded around the corner as he crept along the wall. He motioned EDI and Liara to stop as he listened more intently. A young man was holding up a biotic shield around himself, successfully keeping two Cerberus soldiers at bay. They were both attempting to discourage him into surrendering but to Shepard's relief he could see the firm resolve on his face.

Taking advantage of this diversion, Shepard stealthily made his way out of his hiding spot. He had switched to his sniper rifle. And with a few precise shots to the head, the two operatives fell over dead.

The young biotic looked at Shepard, eyes wide with terror.

Shepard lowered his weapon, "I want you no harm. I'm commander Shepard and I'm here to help you and the other students evacuate."

It took a few seconds for the young man to make up his mind. Finally lowering his shield and slumping to his knees.

"Are you alright? Do you need medical attention?" Liara asked softly.

"N-no, I'm fine. I just need to rest. But my sister may need help, she's around here somewhere... Can you please find her?"

"I'll go look for her right away," Shepard gave the young biotic a friendly pat on the shoulder as he motioned to Liara and EDI.

The students were in very big trouble, but fortunately Shepard and his team had arrived in the nick of time.

Call it intuition, call it instinct, Shepard was good at that.

Broken shards of glass littered the ground and crunched under the weight of his armored boots as he searched every hall and corner. Cerberus had already abducted students. Maybe the biotic's sister had been one of Cerberus' unfortunate abductees. If that was the case, she wouldn't be found anywhere on this station and Shepard would have to find a way to break the bad news to the young man.

He was about to give up his search when he saw movement at the corner of his eye. At the end of a long darkened hall, the form of a woman wearing the red and black Grissom Academy uniform was slouched over, holding onto her mid-section.

The commander ran to her as his squad followed. She looked pale as a ghost and on the verge of passing out.

"Her vitals are erratic, Commander. I would suggest we make haste and treat the wound to her abdomen. There is internal bleeding," offered EDI in a monotone voice. As she completed her scan with her omni-tool.

Damn it.

Shepard hurried up and carefully applied the last of his Medi-gel to the half-unconscious student. After a few groggy moans she slowly came around.

"I recognize you. Y-you're commander Shepard," she whispered. "Thank you."

"No problem. EDI here will lead you back to your brother. Just make sure you stay away from Cerberus operatives, alright?" With that said he flashed her a big friendly grin and motioned Liara to come with him.

They resumed their trek through the large empty hallways, Shepard could hear the sound of heavy gun-fire and explosion as he approached Orion Hall.

"I will destroy you!" he heard, clear as day, as he approached the door. A lump formed in his throat, making it difficult to swallow.

That sounded awfully like Jack.

EDI was now back with them. Shepard glanced over at a tight-lipped Liara; if she had come to the same conclusion as he, she was keeping it to herself.

Then it all clicked together. Jack and Cerberus. Of course!

On their way through Grissom Academy, they had found a few data-pads with Cerberus intel, talking about students that would be turned into Phantoms. The word only brought him a bad feeling.

Jack.

The Illusive Man wants Jack. He wants her so badly, he spent a good part of his Cerberus resources to invade the Alliance school and secure the dangerous biotic.

That ominous feeling he had, transformed into outright anger and panic.

Shepard barged into the open room, his assault rifle set on crio-ammo; ready to freeze anything in its track. If they were trying to abduct Jack, this would give him the few seconds he needed to punch the crap out those bastards.

There was no sign of Cerberus, except for craters and dead bodies littering the floor.

His sharp eyesight quickly spotted the lean willowy form that he knew so well. She stood in the middle of the room, her back facing him. From the way she was leaned over and heaving, he knew without a doubt she had used her biotics to sheer exhaustion. Besides that detail, she looked relatively unharmed.

And, she had hair! He smiled. God, he missed her!

As he made his way down the steps to meet her, he witnessed a Cerberus operative placing a deadly weapon on his shoulder and aiming it on Jack.

At once, alarm bells rang in Shepard's mind.

Sprinting as fast as he could towards her, he yelled for her to look out. He saw her shifting towards him, with both shock and confusion.

But he was too late, the explosion made his personal shields fizzle from the impact and he was thrown back - knocking the air out of his lungs and making his ears ring.

Liara and EDI had been further away from the blast and hadn't been as directly affected by it. The Asari hurried over to help Shepard up onto his feet while EDI finished the Cerberus soldier with a few rounds in his back.

This hadn't been the first time Shepard had been knocked on his ass by a rocket launcher. If it wasn't for his personal shields, he knew that there would be nothing left of him but a smoldering crater. He could only hope that Jack had held up her shields before she was hit.

Shaking the remaining dizziness away, he looked around and to his great relief, he noticed Jack's body still in one piece, lying limply on the ground a few meters away from where he was.

He paused. Seeing her like this, injured and vulnerable, made his whole body shudder. What if he hadn't heeded Traynor's warnings and didn't make it to Grissom Academy in time? It would be Cerberus standing here in his place. The feeling of dread threatened to swallow him whole. With an overwhelming need to protect her - the beating of his heart loud in his ears - he frantically hurried to Jack's side, grabbing hold of her small wrist to check for a pulse. The was one. He exhaled.

"EDI?"

"Jack has a fractured skull, 2 broken ribs, a punctured lung, bruised liver and a dislocated shoulder. She also has internal bleeding, and needs immediate medical attention."

Shit. This was turning out to be a really bad day.

"I've already used the last of my Medi-gel on the biotic student," the commander sighed in frustration, inspecting the room, "let's bring her somewhere safe from gun-fire." His eyes caught the faces of students looking down at them from the balcony and noticed the glow of a biotic shield.

Shepard carefully lifted the light, tattooed body in his arms - making sure to keep the pressure on her left side very minimal. It had taken most of the impact when she had slammed against the wall.

He shook his head.

What have you gotten yourself into, Jack? I leave for a few months and you find a way to get into trouble. Or, trouble finds you, is more like it.

He felt regret for leaving her to go to Earth. Ever since destroying the Batarian Mass Relay, things had deteriorated at an incredible speed. He now realized, that he should have brought her with him; if he had, she wouldn't be in this situation right now. His guilty conscience had plagued him, he couldn't find the courage to open up to her about the colony and he had withdrawn. Maybe he had been afraid she would be disgusted by him. Or that she would leave him. He really couldn't say at this point.

Shepard lost in his thoughts again, barely noticed they had reached the top of the stairs. As predicted, they found the door locked. Hacking was a piece of cake for EDI.

With a swish, it slid open.

A dozen pair of eyes gawked at him. He probably looked threatening, fully armored with his N7 armor and holding their unconscious teacher in his arms; especially scowling like he was. At the moment, he really didn't care.

"I'm Commander Fucking Shepard, lower your damn shields and let us in!" he ordered quite forcefully.

That seemed to snap them out of their stupor.

"O-of course, c-commander!"

The shields lowered to let them through. He walked past them.

"I'm not in the best of moods right now. Somebody find me some Goddamn Medi-gel!"

He gently laid Jack on a cushioned bench connected to the wall.

Inhaling deeply he tried to calm himself. This wasn't the students' fault, he had no need to take out his anger on them and take that tone with them.

A young man with dark hair and brown eyes came up to him and handed him a packet of Medi-gel.

"Will she be alright?"

Shepard nodded, "She will once we get off this station. What's your name?"

"Prangley, sir"

"Prangley. Your teacher's a strong woman. Stronger than anyone I know. As soon as I patch her up, we're finding a shuttle and flying back to the Normandy. I want to get as far away from this place as possible."

The biotic student looked reassured, "Thank you, sir."

He turned his full attention to Jack. In the bright artificial lights of the room he could see every detail of her face; the short straight nose, the heavy black eyeliner on her eyelids, her high cheekbones, her familiar tattoos and full kissable pouty lips. A few brown strands of hair had escaped the band's hold and were now lose against her forehead. The sides of her head were shaved. Of course, it wouldn't be like Jack to go without some part of her shaved or tattooed. His heart filled with warmth at being so close to the biotic, the gaping void in his soul seemed to lessen when she was there.

As if sensing his presence by her side, she let out a raspy moan as her head shifted to the side. She struggled to open her eyes and coughed; her whole face grimacing with pain.

He squeezed her hand.

"Jack, can you hear me? You're hurt. I'm injecting you with Medi-gel and applying some to your wounds but we have to get out of here before Cerberus sends more back-up."

Another hacking fit was her only response. That was his cue to act.

After a few minutes, Jack was finally opening her eyes, her chestnut irises slowly focusing on him.

"I feel like shit."

"Welcome back, Jack."

He helped her sit up. The thin biotic cradled her left shoulder with her right arm,

"Your shoulder is dislocated and you have a punctured lung."

"Tell me something I don't know, you fu-" catching herself, she gazed around the room at her students who were listening intently.

With a short wheezy intake of breath and a sharp move Jack pulled the dislocated joint back into its place.

"What are you doing here, Shepard?" Jack asked in a monotone voice, slowly rotating her shoulder.

From the way she averted looking at him and the stoic look on her features told him she was upset. For Shepard, Jack was all too easy to read.

He stepped closer and took a seat beside her on the leathery bench. He handed her the two data-pads he had found lying around.

Jack's eyebrows furrowed as she took a look at what lay in her lap.

"Cerberus will stop at nothing to capture you and your biotic students. We have to find a way off this station before more arrive."

"Well.. fuck!" The swear word slipped without her notice this time as her gaze stood transfixed on the glowing word, "Phantom?"

"Yeah... coming from Cerberus, I don't think anything positive is meant to come out of it."

"No shit."

For a split second Shepard thought he saw a glimpse of worry coming from Jack. But as she locked her eyes with his, it was replaced with an endless fury.

"They touch a hair on my students, I will tear them apart!"

The biotic teacher jumped to her feet, oblivious to her aching body.

Shepard jumped after her, catching her tattooed hand in his, "I won't let them do that Jack."

Flustered, she glanced down at his hand squeezing hers and paused - conflicted. To him she looked very small and vulnerable; a lonely soul fighting the odds for a glimpse of a normal life and happiness. It made him remember the time they met in his cabin before the Suicide Mission when her walls had come down and she had spilled her real feelings to him. At the memory, his need to protect and keep her close only grew.

"Commander, Kahlee Sanders sent a message. There's an empty Cerberus shuttle parked nearby - we need a security override to unlock the door.

"Let EDI handle it."

Jack shrugged out of the hold Shepard had on her hand and spun around, her back facing him.

"Amp check!" her voice, although stern was still very much raspy and winded, "Students, drink some juice and grab an energy bar. We move in five!

"Yes, ma'am!" The biotics with a swiftness born of fear and trepidation, gobbled down their granola bars; followed by orange juice.

The biotic teacher had strolled to the open balcony and was now leaning against the smooth stone wall and looking off into the distance.

"Why did you leave, Shepard?" she asked in a hurt tone.

Shepard sighed, regret tearing at his heart.

"I had to, Jack. The Alliance... There are some things I did that I had to answer for. "

"What, for destroying that relay?" she glanced at him, a questioning eyebrow raised.

He was shocked to hear her words.

"Damn it, Jack! A whole Batarian colony is gone!" It was his turn to turn his back to her, crossing his arms on his chest and overcome with emotion.

"Yeah, well... you did the right thing - you always do. If it wasn't for that decision you took back there, we'd be goners. At least you gave the few of us who gives a shit, time to prepare," her voice had lowered to a soft whisper.

Two long slender arms slipped around his waist and he felt Jack press herself against his back.

"I've fucking missed you, Shepard. Why couldn't you accept my offer and become space pirates? "

He turned around, his face only inches from hers. He could feel her warm breath on his skin, leaving goosebumps in its trail. Shepard felt he could get lost in those large brown pools of hers. His pulse quickened.

With his thumb he stroked her chin, "I admit, I regret not taking you up on that offer."

Heavy lidded eyes, breathless and mouth slightly open in want, Jack was truly beautiful. The fear of losing her to a painful, dark cruel fate at Cerberus' hands made him realize just how important and precious she was to him. Like a diamond in the rough, he had discovered incredible beauty and love - he promised himself to never let her go.

With a passion born of love, he dipped his head and tenderly took her soft lips with his. Losing himself in the moment of the kiss, he was oblivious to the gasps of surprise around him.

Liara cleared her throat, "Shepard, we have hacked the system and the door is unlocked - we are ready to move when you are."

Slightly irritated for being interrupted, the commander forced himself to pull away from Jack.

Bright-eyed, she gave him a slight smirk in response before he turned his attention on the room.

"Alright, I want you all to listen to me very closely. I am taking NO chances. Jack, you make sure you and the students reach that shuttle quickly and safely. Liara and EDI, we'll take care of whatever comes our way and secure our flight back to the Normandy."

Jack took a place by his side.

"Ok kids, shields up! You heard the King of the Boy Scouts, let's move!,"

Wincing, she powered up a large biotic shield around herself and in a burst of activity; she and her teenage students left the room. Shepard sighed and shook his head at the reckless biotic.

Readying his weapons, he and his squad followed closely behind.

She didn't know if it was the dull pain she felt throbbing in her head, the Medi-gel numbing her brain, or Shepard's passionate kiss that left her feeling dizzy. Either way, she felt slightly disconnected from reality.

Jack had issued a protective biotic field large enough to shield herself and her students from any attack. Thank God for the Medi-gel, she knew she would be in no shape to use her biotics, let alone walk in her state. But through the pain and exhaustion Jack pushed on, she knew she had to do this - there was no other way.

Like a bug invasion, Cerberus troops started pouring inside the room, guns blazing, rockets launching and explosions all around making the floor shake under their feet.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Shepard taking the brunt of the attack, efficient and deadly with his Collector Assault rifle - they were dropping like flies.

That big idiot better not get himself killed.

Following her students through the open doorway, she sent Shepard a glance in his direction in time to see him stab a Cerberus soldier up close in the neck with his omni-blade; slicing his head off in the process. Jack felt elation, she had to fight the sudden strong urge to run up to him and tear his armor off.

As a present, she sent a shockwave blasting an Atlas that had locked onto him - the man-controlled machine exploded into pieces.

"Jack, get your butt out of here!" Shepard hollered, as he smashed his fist through a frozen form.

Wiping rolling sweat beads off her brow, she flashed him a mischievous grin and caught up to her students.

They had made their way through the Academy's long spacious hallways. In contrast to the distant gunfire, the atmosphere here was heavy and ominous.

Jack heard a muffled scream as she passed a large window looking onto another parallel hallway. Rodrigez let out a cry of shock and stood watching in horror. Jack hurried to her side, catching the slow movement of bulky Cerberus armor dragging an innocent biotic by the leg. The poor boy was sobbing and pleading for mercy.

Holy fucking shit.

"Oh no, you're not!"

Filled with unequaled rage, with blue biotic fire Jack raised her fist and punched through the bullet-proof glass with ease - and leaped over the ledge.

The Cerberus soldiers looked around at the sound of glass shattering and saw a very angry Subject Zero storming straight at them.

Her brain told her to slow down, that she had reached her ultimate limit and couldn't strain herself anymore. But fueled by her emotions and high on adrenaline she grabbed one by the neck and crushed his windpipe.

What she failed to notice was a handful more Cerberus operatives approaching from behind.

"Ma'am look out!" A biotic shockwave coming from Rodrigez slammed a couple of them into the wall. A second later a shower of bullets flew at the students, they barely had enough time to throw themselves on the ground out of harm's way.

Jack was now shoving the rescued biotic over the ledge, "Get the hell... out of here!"

The dizzy feeling she had earlier was full-fledged outright nauseating. Her feet were heavy blocks of lead, while the pain in her head throbbed in unison with her pounding heartbeat. She couldn't seem to to be able to catch her breath.

"Run!" she let out with what little air she had left.

"Contact The Illusive Man. Inform him that we have acquired Subject Zero," ramming her in the back with his gun, she fell onto her knees and collapsed onto the floor.

The air was knocked out of her and her face pinned against the broken glass. She cried out in pain as the heavy weight of a knee pressed against her back while her arms were pulled behind her and cuffed.

This isn't happening. No!

A flood of tears threatened to spill, Jack was utterly helpless and unable to defend herself from the very thing she had run away from, her whole life. Like an afterthought, she was thoughtlessly hauled over a round shoulder armor plate, the pain now exploding from every inch of her body.

Fuck, Shepard. I screwed up bad. I'm sorry.

The hot tears were now trailing freely down her cheeks.

"Leave the other biotics, what's important is that we've successfully captured Subject Zero," said the distorted muffled voice behind the helmet.

She was barely aware of the rocking back and forth motion as they sped away with her.

Can't. breathe.

A constant high-pitch noise rang in her eardrums, distorted Images swam in her mind's eye. She knew she was about to fall unconscious.

She faintly heard distant shouting and sounds of gunshots. The weight digging into her stomach suddenly gave way and she fell.

Towering over her was a blurry dark silhouette. It called to her and shook her. She just wanted to sleep.

Let me sleep.