Ok as mentioned in chapter 8 1.0 I wasn't happy with how I ended this story but I had a word limit for a contest. So here is ending 2.0 for your reading pleasure that has nothing to do with the contest. The majority is the same as 1.0. I have one more chapter to work on then I will consider this particular Jori and Deena story complete.
Jori called in the next day. Salan was surprised, but agreed. The two following days were his scheduled days off, which left Jori to remain in tu-fira as much as he liked. His heart ached at what he had done but he couldn't take it back. There was no way he was going to allow anything to happen to Deena again and he was confident that staying away from her was the best choice. It also kept him from breaking his vow to Irikah for there was no way he would be able to control himself if Deena was ever hurt again. It was bad enough he had pulled the turian to the ground.
He had ignored his omni-tool, setting it to silent, and refused to check for any messages. He once thought he heard a knock at his apartment door but when he pulled out of his memory to listen, there was nothing.
The labs were another question entirely. He was going to ask Salan for a transfer to another department, or maybe even another hospital. In the meantime he would have to figure out what to do to avoid Deena. He should probably just call in again, maybe for the rest of the week.
Dragging himself from bed, he found his way to his terminal to send Salan a message and check for messages himself. His chest clenched at the site of the lone message from Deena. The subject line was simply 'Please.' He couldn't look at it now. His resolve would crumble if he did, so he moved it out of sight. He'd read it one day…just not now.
Just as he was about to send his message to Salan, a new message popped up. It was marked as 'urgent' and the sender address indicated it was from C-Sec. They found a lead on the case and wanted his opinion in person before they proceeded.
Standing outside C-Sec headquarters, Jori waited for his contact to meet him. He did a double take when he noticed Kern exit the building. He looked stressed, worn out, and exhausted. He didn't seem to notice Jori standing there, much to Jori's relief.
The doors Kern had just come through opened again and a turian stood there. He looked at Jori, then down at a datapad. There was a distant sound that caught Jori, the turian, and even Kern's attention. There it was again, closer this time. And again. It almost sounded like- the room behind the turian exploded, sending a wave of heat and fire towards Jori. He went flying across the corridor and smashed into a wall. His ears rung, his lungs burned, his vision blurred, and his body ached.
Raising to his hands and knees, he forced his lungs to function again. The ringing in his ears slowly dissipated, giving way to hissing and popping which slowly grew in volume. Snapping his head up, he realized those hisses and pops were the sounds of gunfire, and they weren't far.
Getting to his feet he looked around and spotted Kern on the ground nearby. He was moving. Rushing over to him, Jori helped Kern up and moved him to cover.
"What's going on?" Kern dazedly asked while the sounds of fighting grew louder.
"I was hoping you could tell me."
Kern shook his head and looked around. "Spirits, C-Sec is under attack!" He scrambled down the corridor, with Jori closely following. Kern stopped at a terminal and started typing away, leaving Jori to watch the corridor. A moment later he cursed. "They're everywhere."
"Who?"
Kern glanced at Jori. "Don't know. Reports are saying humans, but," he trailed off to read something. "That doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?" Jori prompted Kern to elaborate.
"Early reports say the newly hired human C-Sec officers are suddenly turning. It looks like an all-out human rebellion but they're killing their own."
Jori tensed. "Explain."
Without taking his eyes off what he was reading, Kern continued, "All the new recruits from the past couple months. The replacements after the red sand…"
Kern looked up at Jori. It all made sense. The red sand victims. The random targets. The fact that these deaths had been going on for few years, only gaining in frequency recently. Someone had been killing Citadel employees, and bringing in human replacements so they could stage an attack. But why go to such lengths?
"What's their target?" Jori asked.
Kern studied the reports until his eyes widened, "The Council. They're making a path to the Council and taking out key locations along the way. Transport, security, C-Sec headquarters, the embassies, and the hospitals."
"The hospitals?"
"Yeah. I don't know why but- damn communication is down. Hey where you going?"
Jori didn't answer as he ran down the corridors towards Huerta Memorial Hospital and the labs. It was early in Deena's shift, he knew where she would be, he just had to get to her. Dodging debris from explosions, he ran like his life depended on it. And in truth it was. If anything happened to Deena, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.
"Jori."
Whipping his head around, Jori spotted Thane rushing down the corridor, clutching his ribs and gasping for air.
"Thane. What are you doing here?"
Backing into a corner, Thane leaned against it to catch his breath. "Cerberus is attacking the citadel." He coughed. "They are trying to get to the council."
"Cerberus?"
Thane breathed deeply, "A human terrorist organization. I'm to rendezvous with someone at the council. What are you doing?"
"I need to find the woman I'm going to bond with." Jori admitted while watching the corridors.
"The human female you work with?"
Glancing at Thane he asked, "How did you know?"
Thane's lips quirked into a wry smile. "I'm happy for you."
Jori had to ask, "It does not offend you that she is human?"
"Far from it. I've come to deeply care for one myself."
Jori did not take the time to wonder at this revelation, he bid Thane goodbye as he resumed his frantic path towards the hospital, but Thane grasped his wrist. Activating his omni-tool, Thane said, "I'm sending you the location for a safe place to hide not too far from here once you find her."
Glancing quickly from the hand that grasped him to the older drell's face, Jori recognized how worn and sick Thane was. His wheezing had worsened considerably. His disease had taken its toll, but he was still on this side of the sea and making every minute count.
Jori shocked himself by saying, "Thane, whatever wrongs I held against you in the past are all forgiven."
Thane briskly cocked his head in acknowledgement. He proffered his arm and Jori grasped it at the elbow. Clasping Thane's shoulder with his other hand, Jori watched as Thane mirrored the gesture, in a honorable drell embrace. Between breaths Thane said, "Live well in the time you have," before pulling back.
Thane seemed to be listening to something as he began hurrying down the corridors again. His labored breathing was emphasized as Jori heard him respond to someone, "Yes, I'm nearing the building but running is difficult…."
Jori continued on his frantic path to find Deena. He slowed as he entered the Presidium Commons. The area was in chaos as crowds ran everywhere searching for safety and loved ones. A group of C-Sec officers were setting up defenses. It looked like he would have to take the stairs because they had barricaded the elevators against intrusion.
Suddenly he heard a voice above the rest. He couldn't make out what was said but he knew it was hers. He looked around trying to spot her when he heard her again. There! She was being detained by a C-Sec officer who was with a group, trying to console the civilians.
"Deena!" he called out as he maneuvered towards her.
She searched the surrounding crowd for him, her eyes jumping from person to person until they landed on him. She visibly relaxed at the sight of him and her face was filled with such elation he had to smile in return. Reaching her at last, he refused to let her go now that she was safe and in his arms once more. Something he thought would never happen again.
Before he could offer an apology, a scream rent the air followed by an explosion. Pulling Deena with him, Jori ran just as a ship belonging to what he now recognized as Cerberus, began to fire upon the makeshift barricades. She followed him wordlessly as they ran to the stairs, following the directions Thane had given.
Soon they were coming upon another battle in the direction they were headed. Jori ducked into an empty office and tucked Deena under a desk assuring her of his return. Before he could get far, Deena screamed in such terror it made Jori's heart drop in sudden panic.
Rushing back, he found one of the fully armored Cerberus soldiers grabbing Deena by the arm as she struggled to pull out of his hold. The male raised his gun and pointed it at her.
Jori's world narrowed and something inside him snapped. His long-denied training seized hold instantaneously and took over. Surging forward, he kicked the gun out of the male's hand then rammed his fist into his throat, causing him to fall to his knees clutching at his windpipe. Jori then brought his knee up to connect with the male's jaw so hard, the head whipped back and an audible crunching of the neck was heard.
Watching the body hit the ground unmoving, a rush of awareness came over him. He just broke his vow by killing someone. Years of discipline and determination gone in a matter of seconds. How could he have broken his promise to Irikah and the gods? Guilt and disappointment washing over him, he looked over at Deena who was bracing herself against the wall, his love, and realized it was going to happen again. Anything to protect her and keep her safe. Anything for her.
Keeping his gaze locked on her face, he went to her swiftly. His stomach dropped as he watched her flinch at his approach and close her eyes in what he could only guess was fear. Her body tensed and her breathing held as she looked to prepare for some sort of blow. His world tilted as he realized she had watched him kill someone of her kind and now she was more than likely afraid of him. His actions had caused more harm than he realized.
Breathing heavily and internally panicking he said the first thing that came to mind, "I won't hurt you."
Her eyes immediately popped open and watched him warily. He caught a glimmer of something in them that had him thinking her actions were not solely directed at him. Something else was responsible for that look of fear. Something he had no control over and had been triggered with his act of violence.
"I won't hurt you, Deena," he tried again, seeing she hadn't fled from him.
He drew nearer slowly, watching her for any further adverse reactions to his approach. Stopping in front of her, he drew his hand up to caress her cheek and his heart sank as she flinched at his touch. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward to touch his forehead with hers, his free hand gently clasping her wrist.
"I could never hurt you," he whispered, hoping to reach her and remind her who he was, despite what she saw.
He tried one more time, "I love you."
She let out a sob, causing him to pull away in concern and dread to look at her. Her eyes were clenched shut as tears escaped them to roll down her soft skin.
"I know," she whispered. "I know, I'm sorry...I...it's just I'm-" She paused and took a breath. "I've never seen you...and I'm not used to…" She sniffled. "I know you won't hurt me, Jori. I'm not afraid of you. What you did just…it just..."
"Deena," he coaxed. "Deena, look at me...please." She did. "I'm sorry," he started. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. I'm sorry-"
His words were cut off by her sudden and demanding kiss. A wave of relief washed over him as he returned the kiss with equal fervour and held onto her like a drowning male and she, his only source of air. All too soon she pulled away from him but he refused to let her go.
Clutching her head to his chest, he quietly asked, "You forgive me."
She sniffled and nodded at him. A weight he didn't know he carried, lifted from his shoulders and he held her tighter.
"This doesn't mean you're off the hook," she mumbled into his jacket. "We're going to talk about this but right now…" she paused when a distant explosion interrupted them.
"We're going to find safety," Jori finished for her.
She looked up at him and smiled that smile just for him and nodded. Quickly kissing that smile, he grabbed her hand and without another word, he led her to the location Thane had given him.
