Chapter 2
"Jesus Christ Joseph will you stop squirming, it's really not that bad", Miranda said stitching up a wound on his head.
"Not that bad, really Miranda, you tossed me out a damn window" he replied angrily.
"I jumped out of it too, the fall was not that serious Joseph" she said nonchalantly.
"You used me to break the damn glass Miranda" he said as she plucked another piece of glass out of his head, "Shit we had him, all you had to do was listen, you never listen to me, that's the problem now" he said still furious over what had just occurred.
"No we didn't have him Joseph, he made you, Oriana blew your cover, if I hadn't come in you would be strapped to a table right now having who knows what done to you" she said applying medigel to the wounds.
While gathering intel in the search for their child, Miranda had lost contact with Oriana. That was something that never happened so it gave Miranda cause to worry that her father may have found her. So they decided that Joseph should go see Henry Lawson for that job he promised him several years ago.
A few days ago
"Joseph had got in contact with Mr. Lawson and set up a meeting at his private estate to discuss the terms of his employment. He arrived wearing a sharp black suit, with a black shirt and red tie. He was escorted into the office by Henry's security while Miranda followed using his tactical cloak.
"Ah Joseph, how wonderful it is to meet you again" Henry said standing up to shake Joe's hand.
"Likewise Mr. Lawson" he said taking his hand.
"Henry please, no need to be so formal Joseph. The job is yours and I don't look at this as a formal setting" Henry informed pouring himself and Joe a drink.
"So how's business sir, if I may ask" Joe said taking the drink.
"Business is very well, I'm actually working on a special project right now but I'm not at liberty to speak of it in detail yet. But trust me my name will be remembered because of it" he said proudly.
"I'm glad to hear it, that means unemployment will no longer be an issue to me", Joe joked making Henry laugh. Miranda never really saw her father laugh, he never really sat and spoke with her the way he did with Joseph. It made her jealous though she would never admit it out loud.
"How about a tour of the house, then Joseph" Henry said standing.
"Absolutely sir" Joe said standing and following Henry out of the room.
"I'll introduce you to my children, come" Henry said leading Joe to a room upstairs. The door opened revealing a boy about the age of four.
"Joseph, come here I would like you to meet someone" Henry said to the boy as he stood walking over to Henry and Joe. He had Miranda's striking features and hair color with Joseph's sharp grey eyes. He bent down to the boy giving him a friendly smile.
"Hi, my names Joseph too, but you can call me Shepard" Joe said to the little boy.
"I'm Joseph Lawson, it's a pleasure to meet you sir", little Joseph said to his biological father shaking his hand.
"He seems really smart for a four year old, no broken sentences, perfect English, how is that possible" Joe said in amazement looking at Henry.
"Very simple experiments done to him when he was still a fetus, no pain at all" Henry explained in detail." Run along now Joseph, I'll be back to check on you soon" Henry said leading Joe out of the room.
"He seems like a really good kid sir your lucky to have him" Joe said giving his son one last look before following.
"Yes he is, now on to my daughter" Henry said walking to the next room that was locked only to be opened by Henry himself. The door opened revealing Oriana standing by a window looking pitiful.
"Oriana come and meet Joseph" Henry said to her as Joe stepped in the room.
"Joe" Oriana said looking at him. "You bastard, Miri was right, you set me up" she yelled running to attack Joe.
"Stop this foolishness Oriana" Henry said in a threatening voice. "How do you know my daughter Joseph" Henry asked.
"Sir, I've never met this girl a day in my life, although she does look familiar to me, I can't remember where" Joe said trying to sneakily throw Oriana signals to shut up.
"You lying bastard" she yelled not getting the hint. "Where's Miranda what did you do to her you son of a bitch" she said with tears in her eye's.
"Ms. I'm sorry but I've been incarcerated for the past seven year's, I don't know of this Miranda you speak of" Joe said looking her in the eye's.
Henry looked between Joe and Oriana multiple times. He looked as if he believed Joseph and was beginning to relax when Miranda uncloaked aiming a gun at Henry.
"Miri" Oriana yelled excitedly.
"Miranda how the hell did you get in here, it was you" he said pointing at Joseph. "I should have known, there was no other way she could conceive without your DNA" Henry said backing away from Miranda.
"What are you talking about" Miranda asked still aiming at him finger on the trigger.
"Ah you still don't remember, let me ask you child, has sex ever been uncomfortable for you, I'm positive it hasn't" he said smirking at her.
"You raped me and wiped my memory, you son of a bitch" she said disgusted and angry.
"No I didn't rape you child, he did" Henry said looking at Joe.
"I've never raped anyone in my life, your lying, Miranda shoot him" Joe said looking at Miranda as she looked at him in shock.
"Don't be so shocked Miranda, you raped him too, you raped each other" Henry said laughing. He was stalling to give his guards time to get to him.
"Miranda he's trying to buy time if your gonna shoot him shoot him" Joe yelled to her as she stood there looking confused.
"Neither of you remember because I made it that way, how much do you remember of the last party I held in New York before you decided to run away Miranda, his poisonous influence no doubt", Henry asked his daughter smiling.
"I don't remember anything" she said.
"And you Joseph, what do you remember of our first meeting" Henry asked looking at Joe.
"All I remember is meeting you" he answered. "Miranda we have to go now, I'm seeing guards closing in on our position" Joe said heading for the door seeing the guards come up the stairs turning back into the room closing the door and locking it.
"She doesn't want to go Joseph she wants to know more, put down the gun child and talk with your father" Henry said taking a seat.
"Miranda no, let's go now, we're going to die" Joe said beginning to panic.
"Don't you wanna know what happened Miranda, why you were able to concieve that child when every doctor you see confirms your infertility, why you desire his presence when your normally such an emotionally closed off person. And you Joseph, wouldn't you like to know why you allow her to do things to you that would cost others their life without a moment's hesitation, why you have such a strong need to protect her" Henry said relaxing in the comfort of the information time bomb he held. "It's that way because I wanted it that way, now you two insufferable children stop this madness and behave for your father, I see those ring outlines on your fingers" Henry said observing both of them.
"Miranda get down" Joe yelled pushing her to the ground as gunfire erupted through the door, he could hear Henry yelling for his guards to stop firing, he had them where he wanted them.
"Joseph, he was about to tell me" she said looking at him from behind the table they were using as cover.
"Not today, we have to find a way out of here, or that til death do us part is coming real soon " Joe said looking around for any exit.
"I see one, but your not going to like it",Miranda said
"I don't care let's just not die" Joe said firing over the table.
She threw a warp into the ceiling bringing it down in front of them grabbing Joseph running towards the window pushing him through first as they dropped down landing in Henry Lawson's pool.
Present Time
"Miranda he was falling for it, all you had to do was let it play out, but no you rushed in half cocked, then you push me through a fucking window that you could of shot open, you had a fucking gun Miranda. Then you dont take the fucking shot when I tell you to, what the hell Miranda, you fucked up and you almost got you, me, and Oriana killed" Joe said getting up walking away from her to the bathroom.
"Joseph, I want to know what he was talking about" she said walking behind him laying her head on his back.
"I don't, I don't wanna know anything that's gonna make me look at you in a fucked up way Miranda, let it go" he said turning to her.
"We deserve to know Joseph, I deserve to know damnt, what he did to me" she said pulling away from him.
"I wanna know how he took a fetus and turned it into a damn four year old genius, that kid is too smart, but I know he's ours, it's fucking weird" Joe said looking puzzled.
"Joseph, he created me, trust me that was easy what he did to our son" she said laying her head on his chest.
"We'll get them back, if he wanted to kill them he would have already, I need you to focus and relax, when we're out there I don't need Miranda watching my back she's too emotional, I need Operative fucking Lawson, is that understood", He said looking her in her eye's.
"Yes Joey, and I'm sorry about the window, and ruining your suit, that your shockingly not complaining about wearing for once" she said raising an eyebrow.
"Hey I never said I didn't like suits, I said I didn't like monkey suits, there's a difference" he said beginning to remove his destroyed clothing.
"I'm gonna take a shower, are you coming" she asked seductively.
"Nah, I think I'm just gonna go lay down, see if there's any news on about Johnny" he said placing a kiss on her forehead walking out of the bathroom.
Joseph went and laid on the sofa in the living room of their fifth safe house over the past six months. He turned on the screen to see news that earth was attacked by the reapers. He jumped off the sofa running into the bathroom screaming Miranda's name ripping back the shower curtain scaring the hell out of her.
"Earth just got attacked by the reapers, their destroying everything" he said looking at her with eyes full of worry.
"Joseph I'm sure he got out in time" she said getting out of the shower putting on her robe.
"What if he didn't Miranda" Joe said walking into the living room starting up the terminal they shared sending a message to John and reading one from James.
"John says it's time and to get ready" he said turning and looking Miranda in the eye's.
"You do what's important to you and I'll do the same" she said to him before walking off into the bedroom. She spent many nights alone in here, he told her it was because he needed to keep watch while she slept but she knew it was because he still hadn't forgiven her for what happened on Illium. Their relationship hadn't been the same since that day he barely touched her and when he did it was only to reassure her that he still cared. He walked into the room behind her sitting on the bed next to her as she laid with her back turned to him.
"Miri" he said placing his hand on the small of her back.
"Don't Joseph, you don't need to explain yourself to me, I know John needs your help, and if you didn't go with him you'd spend every second worrying about him." She said turning to him "Do what you gotta do" before turning back over closing her eye's. She felt his body press up against her and his arms wrap around her waist as he held her close to him.
"You don't need to do this Joseph, I know your not comfortable in this bed with me that's why your barely in here, you don't have to force yourself into affection I'm not a child Joseph" she said not even turning to him. He rolled her over looking in her eye's placing a hand on her cheek leaning down to kiss her. He hadn't kissed her like that since before they were married, it took her breath away as she looked up in his eye's.
"If I don't go with you I'll spend every second wondering if your ok" he said stroking her cheek looking in her eye's kissing her again laying his head in the crook of her neck.
"But you'll still board the Normandy when John gets to the citadel, and you can't tell me I'm lying Joseph" she said making him look her in the eyes.
"Miranda I love you, if you want me to stay then I'll stay baby, if you need me with you then I'll be with you" he said sitting up as she stood up.
"Then act like it Joseph, act like you want to be with me you hardly look at me , you barely touch me, if we didn't spend every hour of every day together I would think you were having an affair" she said folding her arms looking away from him.
"Hey, come here" he said softly looking up at her.
"No Joey, just go lay on the sofa like you always do" she said still not looking at him.
He stood up walking over to her slowly removing her robe placing soft kisses on her neck. She turned to him as he caught her lips for a passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back.
"Make love to me Joseph, the way you use to" she said looking down. He lifted her chin kissing her lips again picking her up carrying her to the bed bridal style, lips still locked. He made love to her over and over again that night showing her exactly how he felt about her until their bodies reached exhaustion.