After she got kicked out Miranda had some hard time. She slept in work, previously prepared an explanation if someone caught her - she had so much to do at work that she passed out from the fatigue and over-times. However it was only a temporary solution. Not very comfortable or comforting. For the first time in quite a long time she didn't really know what to do. She didn't dare to contact Jack just yet. ...or at all. She felt so lost and vulnerable even though she tried to fight off this feeling every single day. It reminded her of her first days after she escaped with Oriana. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. No possible future. Of course this time she had the Alliance but she was a realist and knew that they only cared if she did her job.
With Oriana there was one more factor. Miranda had been determined to ensure her sister's safety whatever the cost. This time she had the choice. Was she determined to make things right then? She kept asking herself the question over and over again.
She stood in the pouring rain next to the building she until recently lived in. She wasn't sure what she was doing. Was she going to go in and ask Jack if she could have her belongings back? No. Should she call her first? But Jack probably wouldn't accept the call anyway.
Standing there and rethinking her options she heard the front door opened and immediately she recognized the familiar face behind them. Jack winced as she spotted Miranda, or at least she thought she did. The younger woman came out of the door and immediately was flooded with the rain as she stared at Miranda blankly.
Seeing that apparently Jack was waiting for the confrontation as she did not proceed, the ex-Cerberus took a deep breath and approached her before either of them could change her mind. Miranda stopped a feet or two before Jack, looking into her deep dark eyes and trying to see any sight of emotion. She was generally good at reading people whereas Jack never bothered to hide much, especially her anger.
"Jack." Miranda nodded slightly, ready for anything - a slap, a shout, anything besides this blank gaze.
"Cheerleader." Jack muttered. At this point Miranda knew that things were not lost yet. She could still make it right if she played the game well.
She pulled away a strand of wet her that glued itself on her cheek. She opened her mouth for a moment too long as if she didn't know what to say. But she did.
"Can we try one last time?"
Jack's face didn't change at all. However Miranda could swear she saw Jack's lip fidget a bit, but it may have been the rain. Of course Jack weren't the fur-coat type of girl, but Miranda felt uneasy just thinking about how cold the other woman probably was at the time. Jack's gaze kept piercing Miranda, as she slowly said:
"Do you really think I would be able to trust you now?"
"I know it's difficult for you..." Miranda answered automatically as if she was one of those Avina bots, but she didn't even get to finish her sentence before she was interrupted by the other woman.
"Oh because you've read it in my psychological files while you were chipping me like a dog?" Jack asked in her typically playful voice, but Miranda could sense how bitter she actually was.
"It's not easy for me either." Miranda said, weighting her own words. She couldn't afford another misunderstanding.
"Oh right,' Jack rolled her eyes with half a grin, 'because you had it sooo hard living in your mansion with your perfect ass and shitloads of credits."
That felt like a shot right in the face. Especially since Jack have been there alongside her and Shepard when they were saving Orianda. Jack should have understood that Miranda's childhood wasn't pretty, even if it wasn't as bad as Jack's. She should understand why Miranda had such trust issues. Yeah trust. The memory of Niket stroked her. Why was she standing here anyway? Hasn't she learnt her lesson about people yet? But then she remembered the Commander and how she got her to talk to Oriana. And how happy and peaceful she felt after the conversation, knowing that her sister was safe and didn't hate her for what she did, the choices she was forced to make. Relations with people aren't easy, but if she really learnt anything it would be that they're worth it.
"You know just as well as I do that credits are not as important as they seem." Miranda answered, her voice a tiny bit colder than she intented.
"They're not? Well I think if they weren't you wouldn't be standing here, begging me to take you back." Jack crossed her arms on her chest, leaning a bit further from Miranda who frowned at the younger woman's words.
"Jack, I may be sorry but this doesn't give you the right nor the power to humiliate me."
Jack rolled her eyes again. At this point it seemed almost as if she was getting more border rather than upset.
"Listen..." Miranda started to catch the other biotic's attention. "Except for Shepard I, "she hesitated for a split of second" I never had a real friend. I don't know how to act... I guess I just freak out... because I'm worried and..."
What Miranda wanted to say was something among the lines of 'I don't want to lose you, and I'm scared that you'll get in trouble and leave me', but she changed her mind as the thought occurred to her quickly enough as stupid. Fortunately, Jack didn't decide to dwell on that. Instead there was a long pause in between them as Jack stared at Miranda with hard, steel eyes.
"Long story short - you're emotionally disabled, unable to develop any sort of trust that's not based on you controlling everyone."
Miranda wiped the rain of her face, considering the other woman's words. Was that really what Jack has seen in her? Could she be right or was she just trying to examine how far she could cross the line wih Miranda?
"...Yes."
Jack squinted her eyes before letting out a long sigh.
"Alright. I'll take you back. But it's the last chance."
