"Alright Jack, I like how you move."
.
Shepard opened her eyes slowly, pulling herself up and resting on her elbows while she scanned her surroundings.
A black blanket? My bed doesn't have a black blanket. And where's my fish tank?
She shot up, startling Miranda who shot up from her chair as well.
"Goddess, how much did I drink? Did we... again...?"
Why do you sound so concerned?
Miranda quickly shook her head. "Don't be absurd! Of course not, Commander." I watched you sleep almost the entire night. "You needed your rest and I had work to do anyway, which kept me awake most of the night." Damn it, my back still hurts from that bloody chair! She quickly pushed the thought aside, continuing, "But now that you seem to be able to walk again, I suggest you go to your own quarters and take a shower... That's not what I meant! I meant... you should wash off that awful stench of alcohol... in your quarters... in your shower... alone... You should leave now... please."
Miranda turned her head, trying to cover her heated cheeks by resting them on her hands while she stared intently at her terminal. Shepard simply nodded, trying not to smile at her startled XO, and left the office, collecting her boots on her way out.
Kelly looked up from her breakfast just in time to see the commander leaving Miranda's office and heading for the elevator.
Seems like I have to step up my game...
After a refreshing shower and a change of clothes, Shepard stepped into the CIC and headed straight for her terminal. While she checked her messages, Kelly left her terminal and positioned herself right next to the commander, leaning in a little closer than was absolutely necessary.
"Commander, you have unread messages at your private terminal," she smiled.
"Erm, thanks Kelly, I can see that..."
"So, anything special planned for today?" Kelly asked, still smiling and itching even closer.
"I was thinking of heading to Omega and picking up that Zaeed-guy. Maybe I should take Jack with me, I don't think it's good for her to be in the basement all on her own for too long and she seemes to be the right kind of person for that place... I bet she'll like it. Maybe I'll even let her crush some vorcha while we're there..." Shepard mused, not taking her eyes off the terminal.
Kelly sighed.
"About Jack... Commander, I know you two get along well but... be careful with her. She pushes people away, yet approaches sex casually."
Shepard's eyes finally left the terminal.
"Speaking of experience, are we?"
Kelly just shrugged her shoulders, turning around slowly as she answered, "Well, as I said, love can be a great way to get to know someone better. I'm sure there is a lot you could learn about me..."
Shepard watched her yeoman walk back to her terminal, realization finally dawning on her. She then closed her own terminal and entered the elevator, heading for the cargo hold after informing Joker about their new course, a slight smile on her face.
"Hey."
"Hey Jack, you up for a visit to Omega?"
Jack looked up, releasing another biotic shockwave that bursted through a pile of empty cans, every single one carrying an accurately drawn picture of a certain Cerberus operative.
"As good as any other shithole, I guess," she smiled.
"That's the spirit! We'll have to talk about the cans' decorations one day, though..."
Jack shrugged her shoulders. "I was bored. You haven't been around lately and those engineers don't get scared anymore when I steal their equipment and threaten to kill `em with a screwdriver..."
"I always knew you had a soft side... Speaking of... Kelly didn't happen to pay you a visit lately?"
Jack's face lit up and she grinned.
"You jealous? She almost jumped me, mumbling something about love being the ultimate way of understanding one another... I was simply being polite."
Shepard shook her head, which widened Jack's smile even more.
"If this is just about sex, maybe you should just fucking say so."
She jumped off the bench she was sitting on and fastly closed the distance between them, crashing her lips against Shepard's and pressing her against the nearest wall.
"Shepard, we are read- what happened to your lip? Did Jack hit you?"
Miranda's face showed concern as she hurried over to Shepard, who'd just gotten out of the elevator, to get a closer look at her bruised lip. She shot a quick angry glare at Jack, who was following the commander out of the elevator.
Shepard brushed her hand off.
"It's nothing, really, we were just... sparring..." she answered after a sideglance. Jack snorted.
"You want to join us next time, cheerleader?", Jack asked sheepishly.
"Thank you but... I'll pass." Facing the commander, she continued, "I assume Jack will be joining us on our trip to Omega, then?"
The venom in Miranda's voice was clearly audible which made Jack grin widely.
"Hell yeah! Shepard thought you'd need some back-up out there. Someone making sure you don't get dragged into a dark alley `cause of your inconspicuous outfit..."
You're one to talk...
"Jack will join us, yes but I want you two to keep your comments and arguments for yourselves while we're there, understood?" Shepard looked both rivals in the eyes and earned a short nod from both of them.
"As you wish, Commander."
"Sure, I'll do my part."
Finding Zaeed turned out to be very easy since he was "interrogating" a batarian right next to the docked Normandy. Miranda immediately didn't like him and to her relief, she saw Shepard sharing her opinion. Jack didn't seem to care as usual and was more interested in looting the batarian's body while Shepard and Zaeed had their short chat. Shepard sent the mercenary almost too eagerly back to the Normandy after they'd discussed the details of Zaeed's assignment the Illusive Man seemed to have forgotten to inform the commander about.
"Since we're already here, I suggest we pay Afterlife a visit..."
"I'm in, Commander! What about you, cheerleader? Thinking about changing clothes before the patrons in there start shoving money up your-"
"-Jack..." Shepard's serious voice immediately silenced her.
Miranda forced a smile.
"As tempting as the thought might be... Joining you two, not the part about patrons invading my private space... But I think I'd rather return to the Normandy since my help won't be needed while you drink yourselves senseless. I'd rather take a shower..." And with a quick look around her, she added, "Or three..."
"A shame," Jack mused and walked towards the big entrance of the nightclub.
Shepard stood by Miranda a little longer.
"Something on your mind, Commander?" Miranda asked, starting to feel slightly uncomfortable although she couldn't tell if Omega or the commander's presence were responsible for that.
"Are you sure you don't want to join us? I promise to keep an eye on Jack. Trust me, as soon as she gets her liquor, she'll forget you're even there."
And I bet you would too...
Miranda sighed. "As I said, Commander, I'd rather not join you."
"Could you do me a favour then?"
Anything!
"What is it?"
"I promised to keep an eye out for a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy for Dr. Chakwas and I heard there might be a chance to find it here. Would you accompany me and take it back to the Normandy with you when you go back? I promise it won't take long. I just don't want to carry that bottle with me while Jack's around..."
A bloody bottle of liquor? You want me to carry your bloody liquor back to the Normandy for you while you go and get wasted with Jack? What am I, your bloody courier? If that would have been part of the assignment, I'd have thought twice about signing it...
"Certainly, Commander," she sighed and followed Shepard into the nightclub.
Afterlife was crowded. They had to determinedly make their way through masses of sweaty alien bodies and Miranda was rudely shoved into the commander more than once, which didn't annoy her as much as it should have...
They finally reached the bar where a turian poured drinks for the patrons leaning casually against the table. Shepard shoved past two chatting asari, grabbing Miranda's hand and pulling her with her.
She just doesn't want to have to go look for her liquor-courier in this crowded hellhole, she thought bitterly but still couldn't stop the warm feeling to spread from her hand into her chest at the touch of the commander's hand.
Shepard waved the turian over and a couple of seconds later she turned back to Miranda with a full bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy in her hand and a smile on her face.
Miranda grabbed the bottle quickly and turned toward the exit, only to be swung around by a strong hand, facing the commander again who now leaned in closer, whispering in her ear, "Are you absolutely sure you don't want to stay now that you're already here?"
Miranda wasn't sure the commander could see her blushed cheeks in the dimmed nightclub but she didn't want to take her chances and quickly turned her head, shaking it determinedly. Shepard nodded.
"Well, I really wish you'd stay but in that case... Thank you."
Miranda stiffened as she felt Shepard's breath on her ear but the commander had already leaned back again, smiling at her before she turned around to search for Jack.
It took Miranda a couple of seconds to regain her composure but as soon as her breathing became even again, she turned around and stormed out of the nightclub.
The fresh air outside helped her clear her head as she stepped down the steps in front of Afterlife. She'd only taken a few more steps towards the docked Normandy as she spotted Kelly, leaving the lower markets with a bag in her hand. Kelly spotted Miranda as well and casually made her way over to her, carefully holding the bag behind her back and out of Miranda's view.
"Ms. Lawson, what are you doing here all on your own? I thought you were with Shepard and Jack... Is that a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy? I didn't take you for the old-liquor-type..."
Oh no, Kelly, I'm only carrying Shepard's liquor so she can have a good time with Jack and doesn't need to bother about it. After all, that's what I'm assigned for, right? It's so good to feel qualified and appreciated.
Instead, she asked with a suspicious look at the black bag, "What's in that bag, Ms. Chambers? I didn't take you for the shopping-on-Omega-type..."
Kelly's smile didn't vanish but she seemed slightly irritated. "Oh well, you can find quite interesting clothing here on Omega..."
With that, she turned and headed back to the Normandy, happily swaying her bag.
A/N: It seems I finally found a way to deal with the editor... Thanks for the patience... :) I just saw how short the next chapter would be so I'll see if I can make it any longer, might take a while though...
Thank you for the reviews, I really hope it's better now...