A/N I wasn't going to post until Sunday or Monday but I love writing this as much as I hope you like reading it so I decided to type through the night. Please review.

Disclaimer: This chapter is one of the many reasons that this story is rated M. I was actually going to make it more visual but I wanted to get some feedback first. Maybe in some future chapters. I do not own Starcraft or any of their characters.

Heart of the Swarm Chapter 6

Sarah watched Jim sleep peacefully on the bed that had been brought onto the Leviathan. It was large and lavish enough that she could sit on the bed without creating enough movement to wake him. It was the first time in days that she had seen him sleep peacefully.

She had grown accustomed to him waking at strange hours with a panicked look on his face, always searching and fearing an enemy that was not there. Sometimes he talked in his sleep, giving voice to his dreams. From what Sarah heard they were more like nightmares that dreams. Sometimes he would mumble incoherent words but mostly he called for her. Even in his sleep he called for her.

It was strange for Sarah to someone as strong as Jim so frail and vulnerable. She had healed his body and he should have no lingering physical trauma but his mind was another thing altogether. Torture such as Jim experienced could leave scars worse than what could be found on the body. She didn't know how deeply his psyche had been scarred. For sometime he could barely stand for her to touch him. She wanted to be there for him, to soothe and comfort him but as soon as she made contact he would flinch away from her. It was as if his body automatically expected some pain from just physical contact. The medics left several syringes for her to use in case Jim would get agitated. She used them more than she wanted to. There were times she would fine him trashing about in bed yelling, begging to be released. She tried to calm him down. She held onto his limbs as she whispered soothing words into his hear. Sometimes it worked but others she had no choice but to use the sedatives.

It occurred to her that she could have probed his mind but she wanted to talk it out with him first. He had already been through so much that she didn't know how an unwelcome intrusion would affect him. It would be days before he regained his strength. She waited patiently by his side.

She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after a few days. For the first time since he had been rescued he opened his eyes and recognized her. He immediately tried to get up and rush to her that he was barely able to sit up.

She sat by him instead, offering what she could to help him recover. While Sarah felt helpless to help his scarred mind, Jim felt the complete opposite. Her presence was what he needed for him to regain his grip on reality. Sarah had no idea how much she helped him by simply being there to hold his hand when he needed her.

She had to argue with Matt about where Jim should stay to heal. She, of course, wanted Jim to stay with her on the Leviathan but the other argued that he would be better off on the Hyperion where the medics would have free access to him.

Knowing that neither would back down they both eventually compromised. Jim would stay aboard the leviathan and Sarah would ensure that the medics would have free access to Jim. Sarah would also have to ensure that visitors would be allowed to see him if they wished. She agreed to this and went further to promise that if any Terrans came aboard the Leviathan they would encounter no Zerg creatures.

For the days to come a steady stream of shuttles went back and forth from the Leviathan. The symbolism that provided was not lost to those who watched it happen but it was still going to be a long road before any of Terrans would accept the Zerg. They had suffered too many losses, too many casualties. Several days was not enough to bridge the gap that years of warfare and genocide had created. For now a common goal would be enough.

It didn't surprise Sarah that most of the crew of the Hyperion came to see how he was doing. After seeing Matt's stubborn loyalty to Jim she knew that they would come. Their concern for their commander out weighed the hesitation they felt coming aboard a Zerg Leviathan. They were experiencing something no other Terrans ever had. There was only one person that Sarah did not allow aboard and that was Nova.
They argued that since Nova rescued Jim that she should be allowed to at least see him but Sarah dismissed those arguments by saying that she was still furious at Nova for locking Jim up. While it was true she was still furious at Nova, Sarah real reason for not wanting Nova aboard was far different. Sarah was jealous.

Jim coughed heavily, snapping Sarah out of her train of thought. He opened his eyes slowly. She watched him carefully ready to provide comfort or space if that was what he needed.

"Hi." He smiled at her.

She returned the gesture. She would give anything to keep that smile on his face.

"How long have I been out this time?" Jim sat up on the bed.

"Just a few hours. The medics just left. I told them you were fine but the brunette one insisted on checking you over anyway." Sarah didn't even bother to hide her distaste.

Jim had to stop himself from smiling. He had never known Sarah to be the jealous type but then again they never really had the chance to go through relationship issues before.

He slowly moved to get out of bed but Sarah stopped him. "Where do you think you're going?"

Jim's lifted an eyebrow at her. "Just to get a drink of water. I would look for some brandy but I doubt you have any here."

"I actually did have some but Matt told me about some... issues you are having so I got rid of it." Sarah crossed her arms and frowned at him.

Jim held up his hands. "Wait a minute. Are you lecturing me?"

Sarah was having trouble keeping a straight face. "Well someone has to. You obviously can't even take care of yourself. You would probably forget to breath if you weren't reminded to."

Jim rubbed his forehead. "You are spending way too much time with Matt."

Sarah placed her hands on his shoulders to show him that she was being serious. "You know I don't blame you for the Zerg taking me right? I know you weren't the one who left me behind or Tarsonis."

"But.." Jim was ready to argue with her.

"But nothing. On Zerus it was my choice to allow the transformation. My choice, no one else's. Don't you understand Jim? You are blaming yourself for what happened to me but you are the only reason I survived any of it."

Jim nodded but didn't say anything.

Sarah placed her hand under his chin and lifted it up so he would look at her. "I love you, Jim. Never forget that. No more feeling sorry okay? We've lost so much time already..."

Jim nodded again, genuinely this time. The conversation they were having parched his throat even more. He looked over at the pitcher of water but Sarah stopped him again.

"I said I would get it for you." She kissed his forehead before turning around.

Sarah made her way over to the stand that held a pitcher of water. She didn't realize the pleasure she would get from doing such a simple thing as getting him a glass if water. She liked looking after him.

"That's it. No more hanging out with Matt." Jim joked with her.

"Jealous?" Sarah asked him when he he stopped talking.

She turned to look at him when he didn't respond and found him staring at her behind.

"Jim!" She feigned shock.

He realized belatedly that she had caught him looking and scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

Sarah laughed as she walked back to stand in front of him. She extended her hand to give him the cup but Jim wasn't moving.

"Ummm Sarah..." Jim was stuttering now.

Sarah was confused. That was until she realized that with him sitting and her standing right in front of him that he had a nice close up view of her chest.

"Pig." Sarah gently smacked him on the shoulder. "You are lucky that I'm gentle now or I might have been offended."

"You are gentle now are you?" Jim asked playfully.

Sarah nodded whole heartedly. "Completely domesticated." Sarah was having more fun than she had in a long time. She had almost forgotten the simple joy of playful banter.

"Well in that case I feel totally safe doing this." Jim suddenly reached out and grabbed her by the waist and wrestled her onto the bed.

Sarah shrieked in surprise. She fought down the instinct to protect herself. Once on the bed she realized that Jim's face was only inches from hers and that Jim's hands were close to touching her in an inappropriate place if she was still human.

Not being human did not prevent Sarah from feeling the thrill crawl up her spine at having Jim so close to her. She had been denied so many things in life and finding that she could still feel this way was exhilarating. Her breath became shallow as he stared at her.

Sarah was not the only one who surprised by what was happening. Jim was taken off guard by what was transpiring but he could not help himself. Deep down he knew what he was getting into when he chose to go with Sarah. He knew that eventually the physical attraction that had always been between them would overtake them. He didn't know how he would feel about that.

His feelings for her hadn't changed, he was sure of that but she wasn't physically the Sarah he remembered either. He tried to convince himself that he could still be attracted to her but he had his doubts.

Laying on the bed with her now all those misgivings had been forgotten. The fact that he couldn't even keep his eyes of her was a testament that he still wanted her in every way possible.

"Jim..." Sarah breathed heavily. She put her hand on his chest to slow him down. "This is crazy. You don't want this. Look at me."

Jim looked at her sympathetically. He was so focused on his own issues he hadn't taken into account what Sarah may have been feeling.

Doubt in herself was a trait that Jim was not used to seeing in her wether she was Sarah Kerrigan or the Queen of Blades. In either life Sarah had been confident and deadly. She had hardened herself to withstand whatever hardships her missions required.

"I AM looking at you." Jim whispered to her as he trailed his hand over her body. He didn't care if parts of her were encased in a carapace. He reveled in feeling her wherever his hands went.

Sarah shivered at his touch. Her body was designed to protect her almost anything but not this. There was no armor is the galaxy that could protect her from Jim's touch. She closed her eyes at the sensations running through her. She was feeling things that she had given up on feeling long before the Zerg had taken her.

She gasped and her eyes snapped open when she felt Jim's lips brush against hers. She hasn't expected the contact and it literally and figuratively took her breath away.
She looked in Jim's eyes and saw the same need that was rising in her.

That look strengthened her resolve to follow through with what she had been planning.

She gently pushed him away. Jim was already apologizing to her, thinking that he had gone to far. She was already begging her not to make him stop.

"Are you sure you want this Jim? Are you sure you want me?" Sarah did her best to put up a brave front but she was dreading his answer.

"Of course I'm sure darling." Jim wondered what was going through her head.

"I'm not, i mean I can't..." She didn't know how to phrase what she wanted to ask him.

"What is it Sarah?" He didn't like how uncomfortable she had become.

Sarah decided to just blurt it out. If she didn't then she would never be able to say what she needed to. "I'm not human anymore, Jim. I can't give you the life you want. I can't give you a family. I'm not Liddy."

Sarah was on the verge of tears. Jim understood what she was getting at. He had never talked about his past with her but he supposed that she could have picked it up from their link.

"I didn't mean to probe so deeply but-" Sarah was apologizing again but Jim stopped her.

"It's okay, Sarah. I want to be an open book to you." He tried to reassure her but she still look flustered. "You don't have to compare yourself with anyone from my past. You are my life now."

She smiled at him gently as she released herself from his embrace.
"I have a surprise for you."

Jim was confused as he watched her get off the bed. She was already further from him than he wanted.

Sarah steeled herself for what she about to do. She had so little experience in what she was about to do. Sarah almost laughed at herself. Here she was, probably the most intimidating and terrifying force in the galaxy, trembling in front of one man. She commanded millions but at this moment she belonged to Jim Raynor.

She took another deep breath and willed the transformation that she had been practicing in the days that Jim was unconscious.

Jim's jaw dropped as Sarah's body slowly changed in front of him. It was almost as her form was melting away. He couldn't quite see what was replacing her body. It was almost like looking at something through moving water, distorted just enough that he couldn't see it clearly.

He could hear Sarah groaning as if the transformation was hurting her. "Sarah!" He tried to reach out to her but she stopped him.

"Jim... Watch." Sarah told him softly as her body materialized in front of him.

Jim was in complete shock at what he was seeing. In front of him was Sarah Kerrigan, not the Queen of Blades. She was human. Human and completely naked.

He traced his eyes over her perfect figure, taking in every curve and contour. Her full lips were tightly curled in a small, sheepish smile. Her green eyes shone with a brightness that he had almost forgotten. And her hair... Her fiery red hair flowed freely to her shoulders. He longed to touch it, to run his fingers through it. He wanted to explore every inch of her. He thought he had lost this opportunity forever and then just like that it presented itself again.
He was stunned into silence.

Sarah though mistook his silence for something else entirely. She watched him take in her form quietly. She saw him roam his eyes through every part of her body but after that Jim gave no reaction. He simply stared at her.

She was not prepared for this. She had imagined this moment countless times before. It always started with Jim marveling at her body and then sweeping her off her feet and laying her gently on the bed. She had not expected rejection. Sarah panicked.

Her insecurities about her feelings surfaced. "You don't like it? I understand. I can be whoever you want me to be Jim. I want to be anyone you need."

Her form shifted again so suddenly that Jim didn't have time to object. She stayed human but her features changed drastically. Her eyes were still green but they were no longer Sarah's. Her red hair faded, replaced by long blonde hair tied in a pony tail.
Jim was now looking at Nova.

"No, Sarah." Jim didn't wasn't Nova he wanted Sarah. He berated himself for his reaction. "Change back."

"But-" Sarah had a hundred thoughts running through her head.

"Change back!" Jim averted his eyes until she complied with his request.

Sarah looked for any doubt lingering in him but found none and before Jim could blink she had revered back to Sarah.

This time Jim wasted no time. He scooped up Sarah in his arms and swung her onto the bed. Both of them felt their bodies tingle with electricity as he made contact with her bare flesh.

"How could you think I would want anyone else but you?" Jim scolded her but instead of waiting for her reply he crushed his lips onto hers.

Sarah's mind went blank as sensations she never thought she would get to experiences overwhelmed her senses.

They forgot everything else as they made love for the first time. They reveled in each other. Each touch and each kiss brought offered promises of more to come. They fit together so seamlessly, like pieces of a puzzle. Their bodies moved so fluidly together that it felt as natural as could be. They belonged together completely now and for the first time in years nothing stood in their way.

Less than an hour later they were laying in a tangled together. They were both breathing heavily as they held each other. Jim ran his fingers through a Sarah's sweat matted hair. She had laid her head on his chest listening to his heart beat.

It was beating fast, its sound soothing. Sarah was starting to relax when her mind screamed at her that there was something wrong with what she was hearing.

She tried to focus to figure out what was amiss but before she could she felt her body shifting. She didn't have time to warn Jim has her body shifted back to the Queen of Blades.

"I guess it's not permanent." Jim whispered.

"No. It takes a lot of energy just to change. Maintaining it drains me quickly." Sarah was embarrassed that her hardened body was now laying next to Jim's. She tried to separate herself from him but he held her fast.

"Stay." Jim mumbled to her. He was already falling asleep.

Sarah nestles herself closely to him. Reassured that he wanted this form close to him. She felt herself drifting off to sleep. The transformation had taken a toll on her. Add the coupling to that and she felt drained all over. For the first time in years she felt herself peacefully allow sleep to claim her. There would be no more nightmares, Jim was here to protect her.

No, Sarah thought finally before she faded completely. We would protect each other.

Farther than either Jim or Sarah could imagine Amon was howling in rage. He had given his servant the perfect plan and all he needed to execute it and he still failed.

The shape shifter begged and pleaded with his master through their psychic connection but Amon had no use for failure. The shape shifters eyes turned a bright red as searing pain filled it.

By the time Amon finished with him, the shape shifter was on his knees gasping for breath. Red smoke trailed from his eyes.

"Master." A voice echoed through the emptiness.

"Report. What transpires aboard the Leviathan." Amon demanded from his spy.

The spy told him everything. There was nothing aboard the Leviathan that the spy could not see.

"Interesting turn of events." A new plan churned in Amon's mind. "They are not aware of what is happening "

"No, master." The spy replied.

Amon nodded his approval. "Keep me informed." The spy retreated from the link.

Amon understood now. To reclaim the Zerg he though he had to kill The Queen of Blades but now he knew he had been using the wrong approach. He simply had to corrupt the heart of the swarm. Corrupted or in ashes. Either would would fulfill his plans. Soon the end of all things would begin.

A/N I hope that was okay. I know it was a little fluffy but I thought it might be an interesting side of Kerrigan to write about. Please review.I really appreciate the feedback. Helps know that people are reading and also helps me improve my writing but if you don't like what I'm no need to be rude just don't read it. I will do my best to make this story enjoyable for everyone. If ts really bad then I guess people won't read and when people stop reading then I will stop writing but for those who want me to continue let me know and I will keep going.