After the initial introduction number by Garrus, several of the crew took requests, while the rest of them were given some rooms backstage. After putting away her violin, Traynor went down the hall, her throat tight as she pushed open doors to find the person she was looking for. She found her after pushing open the third door, back to the hall and touching up her mascara. Though she still kept the sides shaven, she had let her black hair grow out on the top, and most days held it back in a long ponytail. Sam had to admit she loved running her fingers through the long, silky tresses, as well as the spiky contrast on the short parts. Tonight she had even consented to wearing the black dress, though hers showed considerably more skin then Sam's. Tranyor had to admit it was a little jarring seeing her without the leather jacket that had been her constant companion since Shepard had gotten her out of prison.

Samantha made a mental note to thank Shepard for that one day, before quietly closing the door behind her. Standing up straight at the sound of the latch, Jack was standing straight by the time Samantha crossed the floor and wrapped her arms around the former convict's waist. Nuzzling into her lover's neck, Samantha made a happy hum. Humming herself, Jack loosened Traynor's grip so she could face the woman holding her, before their lips met in a kiss. As they broke, Sam noticed that Jack's mascara had run a little.

"Jack... have you been crying?" she asked tenderly.
"No!" Jack responded quickly out of habit. But then she remembered who she was talking to. "Maybe a little. I'm not one for big public displays of affection, but what Garrus did and said made me tear up a little. I came in here to fix my face before I showed it to anyone else."
"Well, far be it for me to stop you making yourself look absolutely gorgeous," replied Sam, caressing Jack's cheek before planting another tender kiss on her lips. Jack turned around and went back to fixing her makeup in the mirror. Samantha wrung her hands nervously, because she wanted to broach something with Jack she was sure wouldn't go down well.

"Jack, can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Why don't you tell anyone about us? Is it because you're ashamed of me? The spoiled little colony girl who isn't tough enough for the big bad ex-convict-" Jack turned around quickly and placed a silencing finger on Sam's lips.
"No, never Sam, you know I don't think of you like that."
"Then why?" Sam asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Because... because you were the first good thing I'd found in my life in a long time Sam. And I've had a hard time giving up old habits, like hiding anything good lest it be taken away from me. And maybe... fuck I hate saying this... maybe because I am ashamed. Not of you, never you, but of myself. The good-for-nothing criminal who would ruin the reputation of one of the most beautiful and wonderful people I've ever known if they knew we were together."

"Jennifer," Sam began. Jack's tears came back, because Sam only called her that when they were alone and intimate. "Jennifer, I love you, and after seeing that performance out there I don't care who knows it, and they can go to bloody hell if they don't like it!" She cupped Jack's cheek in her hand. "Because no matter what they think, they will never be able to take away the woman I know you are. To everyone else, you're Jack, hard as nail criminal who just happens to be a good songwriter. But to me you'll always be Jennifer, the woman who did what she had to survive the cruelty of the world, but was not killed. The woman who reached out from behind Jack to find love again, to love me. That's who I see when I look at you, and I wonder if it's time we let the other know she's still in there too." Jack let a few tears slide down her cheeks, ruining the fix she had been working on.
"Fuck I love you Sam," she said, choking back sobs before embracing her tightly, head buried against a dark caramel shoulder. Sam held her back, stroking her back in a comforting manner.

After a few minutes of hugging and regaining composure, Jack took a deep inhale and pushed away enough to look into Sam's eyes.
"I-I... I'm sorry Sam, but I can't tell them my real name, not tonight. I'm not ready for that." Sam looked down, disappointed, she made to move away, but Jack wouldn't let her go. "Hey, wait a sec. I said I'm not ready to come out to them as Jennifer, that's not something I can do. But you're right, I am tired of hiding our relationship from them."
"What are you proposing then?"
"Well, since everyone seems to be getting in on the singing love fest out there tonight, will you sing a duet with me?"
"I'd love to Jack, what shall we sing?" as Jack leaned forward and whispered her idea into Samantha's ear, the darker-skinned woman smiled. "Perfect, I couldn't have picked a better one myself."


As Garrus and Tali stepped down from the stage after singing a totally cheesy rendition of Can You Feel the Love Tonight, they left the microphones in the sockets at the side. Jack immediately took one and handed another to Sam, before she stalked away to the other side through the backstage, but not before placing a quick peck on Jack's cheek. Jack moved over to the piano and slotted in the microphone, before picking out the tune with her fingers. EDI put a low blue spotlight on her as she closed her eyes and began to sing when she reached the right entry.

I know I stand in line until you think you have the time
To spend an evening with me
And if we go someplace to dance, I know that there's a chance
You won't be leaving with me
And afterwards we drop into a quiet little place and have a drink or two
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like "I love you"

Jack sang it slowly, each word teasing out the heart and soul of the original crooner classic. As she came to the end of her verse, she opened her eyes again, looking fixedly at the other side of the stage. As she played the few bars before the entry of the second verse, Samantha stepped onto the stage, full of confidence after her partner's introduction of the song. EDI quickly turned on a yellow spotlight and focused it on Sam, who was now slowly treading the stage towards Jack at the piano as she came in with the second verse.

I can see it in your eyes
That you despise the same old lies you heard the night before
And though it's just a line to you, for me it's true
And never seemed so right before

As she reached the piano halfway through her verse, she leaned back on it, before sitting up and laying down languorously over the polished black surface, her eyes now completely focus on Jack's. For her part, Jack was lucky that she knew this song so well, because between the melodious sound of her voice and how she was absolutely rocking the dress she was wearing, Jack was falling in love all over again. The two of them alternated the lines of the final verse as they sang together, their faces coming closer with each bar.

I practice every day to find some clever lines to say
To make the meaning come through
But then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you
The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like "I love you"

Jack played a little bit on the piano until she reached the end of the piece, and both her and Samantha's voice entwined sang the final lyrical reprise.

The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like "I love you"

As the song finished and the echoes of the final piano notes rang out through the silent crowd, Jack and Samantha stood up away from the piano, embraced tightly and shared a gentle, tender kiss. As they came up for air they finally could hear the roaring approval from the crowd, none clapping harder than Shepard and Liara, who had moved to the table closest to the stage. Jack held her microphone up to her lips, turning away from Sam for a moment, though still holding her hand.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to Samantha Traynor, the love of my life and my best friend, who showed me that sometimes it's okay to show your feelings." Not to be outdone, Sam stepped forward, microphone up as well.
"I'd like to dedicate that song to Jack, a woman of many mysteries, none deeper than how she managed to steal my heart away." She turned back to Jack and kissed her again, this time far more passionately. Shepard called out from her chair, loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear.
"Good for you, but either get a room or get singing. This is a family friendly establishment!" There was laughter as the crowd, now partly formed from the crew, heard what was said.

"Alright, since you asked so nicely," said Sam, with a pointed look and a poked tongue at Illyria. "Who wants some more Sinatra?" There were several yells to the affirmative from the audience.
"Well, let's play it again Sam," said Jack with a smile, as she walked back over to the piano and her fingers tinkled out the beginning of Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight. The duo ended up playing half a dozen songs before they handed over the microphones to Thane. But the two of them knew, as they headed back to the green room, that Something Stupid would forever be their song.


A/N: So, I'm not going to lie, I actually cried, physical tears were shed, as I was writing this chapter. Also, Something Stupid is one of my favourite love duets.

So, read and review. Also, if you have any favourite songs you think would sound good/funny/oh-god-my-sides-hurt-from-laughing-at-t he-ridiculousness when sung by certain characters, then please let me know. They may not all be set at this anniversary dinner, but they'll still be funny.