Sorry for the delay. I had some creative problems after I rewrote my original draft for "Gemini inter spinas". The version published made it impossible for me to follow my planned storyline, and I noticed it too late. After some thinking time and great help from Desert Sunrise, I decided to rewrite "Gemini inter spinas" following my original draft, even if most of you propably won't like it. It's... depressing.
For those of you who liked the first version published: I safed it under it's draft name: "The loving clone".
IMPORTANT: Followers and recurring visitors should re-read the second half of Chapter 8: "Gemini inter spinas" (starting with the scene the clone is revealing her identity) before reading this. The things added/changed to it's plot are important for all future chapters!
"Don't be silly, Bluebird. I'm always coming back."
"I'm always coming back to you, Bluebird."
Always.
"Jane..."
Murmuring her fiancee's name, Liara is drifting out of her dreams slowly. Still caught in the wonderful pictures, her body is ignoring the pulsating burn in her crest and the distant sting in her sore shoulder blade. The dream was pleasantly beautiful. A future without fear or pain...
Moaning softly, Liara is opening her swollen lids slowly. At first, her mind is troubling to process the blurry scenery in front of her eyes, but a few moments later, her whole body is tensing up.
It was just a dream. I'm still in our quarters. Still helpless...
Her puffy eyes suddenly wide open, Liara is feeling a surge of fear pressing her heart into a tight grip, banishing the last shrouds of sleep at an instant.
Rolling herself over in the bed, she is taking a searching look around, then sighs in relief. The door is locked and, except for herself, there is no one else in the cabin. Her captor did not come back. Yet.
But she would return, continuing where she stopped. Blinking rapidly, Liara is staring towards the sheets with unseeing eyes.
She almost made me kiss her. A part of me even wanted to do it, wanted to end the pain...
The realisation is making Liara hate herself and feel weak, although she knows deep inside her, that it was not the sheer brutality of Jennifer's attack alone that overwhelmed her; it was this horrible similiarity to her fiancee. For a moment, it was not the clone hurting her but Jane herself, and that made the situation unbearable. Liara had been seconds away from giving in to Jennifer's demands, when this other woman entered the cabin to interupt the clone's bloodrage...
Something buggers Liara. All that she had seen from the woman through her tearful eyes was a blurry shape, but it was strangly familiar, as was the womans voice.
I know her, but where from? And this strange name... Hope. Almost like a cruel joke...
Shuddering at the thought, Liara is curling herself up into a tighter ball and uses her fingers to stroke Jane's engagement ring softly. Jane gone... It couldn't be true! Nothing, not even death could stop Jane from coming back to her. Death did not stop her! Her fiancee would rescue her. In the end, Jane would walk through this doors and keep her safe. She has to, or else...
Noticing a lump in her throat, Liara is swallowing heavily and strokes her ring with more force. The foreign woman's words left no doubt what her destiny would be otherwise. A slave, slowly broken by Jennifer's cruel hands...
Suddenly she is feeling stinging tears in the corners of her sapphire eyes. Lifting her hand hesitatingly, Liara is touching her aching crest extension, only to inhale sharply and flinch back from it the next second. Distant aftershocks of the torture are radiating through her whole body and a single tear drop is rolling down her blue cheek.
What happened left Liara shattered. She is used to the pain of battle injuries, but Jennifer's attack a few hours ago has been the first time somebody hurting her with the only purpose of breaking her resolve. And it almost has been a success. Terribly strong fingers holding one of her most sensible body parts in a squeezing grip... Suddenly Liara is feeling freezingly cold again. Enduring it while looking into those terrifying emerald eyes... She couldn't bear it another time!
Hoping it would banish the memory, Liara is placing a short kiss onto Jane's ring. The things the clone said...
No! Jane promised...
Pressing her lips together, she is shaking her head defiantly. It couldn't be true; Jane was not gone! She would come and safe her before the clone could hurt her another time. But until then, she had to stay strong. Maybe she could even safe herself...
Encouraged by the thought, Liara is lifting her right hand and concentrates on creating a small singularity in her palm, but the drugs in her system are obviously still active and nothing happens. She growls frustrated. It would have been too easy.
Closing her eyes, Liara tries to think of other possible ways to defend herself. Propably with something in the cabin...
Shaking her head sadly, she is fighting down another wave of helplessness. No, there would be nothing. Jane had been absolutely adamant on the topic of making their personal quarters a weapon-free enviroment, moving even the contents of her armor locker down to the retrofitted armory months ago. To create space for Liara's clothes...
Another wave of heat is stinging in her eyes, but she doesn't allow the tears to break free. Liftening herself up into a half-sitting position, Liara takes another glance around. Maybe she could find some kind of make-shift weapon before...
The soft 'woosh' of the opening doors is turning her inner self into ice in an instant. It was too late! Her heart rate is jumping up immediately and she looks around panicky, searching for a place to hide, but there was nothing that could protect her. If it's Jennifer who...
Goddess, it's her!
Outcrying in terror at the sight of a horribly familiar red-haired woman running into the room, Liara is crawling over the bed hurrily to press herself into the far corner of the room. Jennifer is back. Curled up into a ball, Liara is whimpering frightently as she notices quick footsteps coming closer. Jane hasn't been fast enough. The clone would hurt her again... Whispering with broken voice, Liara starts rocking her body back and forth.
"P-Please, n-no...p-please...n-no-no-no..."
Breathing heavily, the woman seems to bend down to her. The sudden touch of a terrifying strong hand at her shoulder is sending shivers over Liara's skin and she produces another whimper while pressing herself tighter against the wall, making herself as small as possible. The suffocating shroud of fear is almost blocking Jennifer's words out of her mind. The clone's voice is just as soft and caring as in the moments seconds before she started hurting Liara.
"Shhh, it's okay, Bluebird, it's over..."
W-What?
Her terrified mind has problems processing the simple words. It couldn't possibly be...? A slight hint of hope is building inside her. The soothing strokes at her shoulder are calmingly familiar and the hands are not hurting her. Yet. What if this is just another one of Jennifer's tricks?
Liftening her head slowly, Liara winces back at the sight of two bloodshot emerald eyes looking down to her. Her mouth produces another whimper. She knows these eyes. Meanwhile the woman's voice is getting a desperate undertone and the womans hand starts stroking her shoulder reassuringly.
"Liara, it's me, Jane! It's okay, she's gone..."
Looking up again, Liara is feeling a heavy lump in her throat. Could it possibly be true? Swallowing heavily, she takes a glance over the woman's body, but the result is only confusing her. Hope and despair are changing places inside her rapidly.
The woman in front of her is injured. A gunshot wound on her left collarbone is glistening with medigel and the terrifying hands are scarred and bloody. She is wearing the ripped shreds of a once stunning anthracite summer dress. Obviously the woman had to fight for her life just minutes ago... Maybe in the cause of defeating the evil clone? The rest...
A messy mop of red hair, a little shorter than shoulder-length. Just like Jane's.
Jennifer could have cut it...
Shining emeralds, filled with devotion, love and concern. Just like Jane's. But Jennifer shares her fiancee's green eyes, freckled face and muscular body. The clone tricked her once...
Liara also notices some familiar pale scars on the womans face and forearms, but they could be a disguise, too. There was only one way to know the truth. One distinct mismatch...
Reaching out with trembling fingers, Liara is just about to touch the woman's freckled cheek, when she suddenly is hesitating. What if it's Jennifer?
Oh Goddess, please...
A soft whimper is escaping her lips as she is closing the last inches between them.
The moment her fingertips are stroking smooth flesh, Liara flinches back immediately and stares at the woman in front of her wide eyed. Opening her trembling lips, her whispered word is barely audible.
"J-Jane?"
The tingling sensation in her fingertips is proof enough, but the shock and the sudden swirling carousel of emotions are stunning her. Jane came back..
Liftening herself up on her shaking legs, her vision is suddenly blurring.
Her fiancee swallows and nods, a loving smile on her lips. Taking one step back to give her enough space until she is standing upright, Jane opens her arms to pull Liara into a protective hug. It's a picture she was hoping for since the clone showed her true face. But now the sight of the woman she loves is shattering... something inside Liara. Jane came back...
Stumbling forward into Jane's arms, Liara's body is suddenly shaken with the first sharp sobs and she starts beating her fiancee's chest weakly while stuttering accusations with trembling voice.
"W-Why didn't you protect me? Why didn't you F-FUCKING protect me?!"
Usually Liara is never using any swear words, but now the word seems terribly insufficiant to describe the chaos inside her. Relief, Anger and the memories of what she had to endure are overwhelming her and, ignoring her sore shoulder, she starts pounding against Jane's chest faster and faster. Her face is glistening with a neverending stream of tears and she barely is noticing the expression of pure guilt on her fiancee's face as she screams at her.
"WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME B-BEHIND? W-WHY? I... I thought... s-she... she s-said..."
Her voice breaks and she is collapsing into Jane's arms. The emotional outburst drained her of every energy she had left. Crying uncontrollably against Jane's shoulder, she is releasing all the despair, pain and doubts of the last ours into the embrace of the other half of her soul. At first her fiancee seems to struggle with her words, but then she is placing a short kiss on the top of Liara's crest and whispers softly.
"Shhh, it's over... I'm sorry, Bluebird, I'm so sorry..."
Jane's voice is heavy with emotions, but the red-haired woman is obviously controlling herself, pulling herself together to be strong for Liara. Closing her arms around Jane's body, Liara is feeling the tense muscles in her fiancee's back and the bloodstained shreds of that once beautiful summer dress beneath her fingertips, an unmistakable reminder of what could have happened. Jane herself is pulling her even tighter into the hug and starts stroking her back with slow, soothing motions. The tender gesture is forcing even more sobs out of her chest as she feels a surge of pure relief. It was over...
"S-She said... She s-said you w-were dead and..."
Stuttering between her sobs, Liara is trying to express her feelings, but another stream of tears is silencing her quickly. From one moment to another, Jane's soothing hands at her back seem to hesitate, but shortly afterwards they are proceeding with even more emphasis. Her head rested on the woman's chest, Liara is feeling her fiancee's heart pounding faster. Jane's breasts are lifting briefly as the red-haired woman is gulping back her first sob.
"I promised, Bluebird, I promised!... I promised..."
The broken whispers are causing a new wave of sobs in Liara's chest.
"I spent two years mourning you and it almost destroyed me. Tomorrow you're leaving again and... Goddess!... I... I can't..."
"Shhh, it's okay. I'm always coming back to you, Bluebird. No matter what happens, I'm always coming back..."
Remembering the moment back over Hagalaz, she comprehends that she never fully believed her fiancee's ultimate declaration of love. It was just... too big.
Calming down slowly, Liara's sharp sobs are turning into soft sniffels. Meanwhile Jane is continuing with her efforts to comfort her, still stroking her back and whispering these magic words.
"...Bluebird, I promised... I promised..."
Liara never believed them. Until now.
Right now the truth behind the words is warming every single molecule of her body. Jane would always come back to her...
Liara is getting lost in the moment, still crying in delight and held by her fiancee's strong arms. Minutes are passing without one of them moving.
"Commander, we're just docking at Alliance drydock. Karin is waiting, accompanied by a security team. You know, to take our prisoner into custody and replace guards that got KIA. Damn, let's hope these guys do a better job in keeping my baby save... I'm already pissed about that thing with EDI and..."
"Got it, Joker! Tell the doc to meet us at the medbay. We'll be waiting there."
Flinching involuntarily at the interruption, Liara can't help but pull herself tighter into the freckled arms holding her.
A moment later Jane is placing another soft peck on the top of her crest, murmuring her next word with barely moving her lips away from her blue skin.
"Can you walk? Doc Chakwas should take a look at your shoulder. And your crest doesn't look good, either..."
Jane's mention of the badly swollen body part is reminding her of the pulsating pain in it. Her face still buried in Jane's chest, Liara is lifting her fingers to touch the sensitive area, but Jane grabs her arm, using gentle force to hold her back. Her fiancee's voice suddenly has a strange, neutral undertone.
"These bruises, they... they have the shape of fingers..."
Liara doesn't say anything but is biting her lip. She is not able to speak about Jennifer yet. The very thought is too terrifying. But a single whimpering sound escaping her lips is betraying her emotions nevertheless and Jane's body is tensing up immediately.
"She's gone, Bluebird. She can't hurt you anymore... Come on, I'll carry you..."
Jane is just shifting her position to place a supporting hand at the asari's legs, when Liara is remembering something important.
"Wait..."
Whispering the single word with a voice she is barely recognizing as her own, Liara breaks contact with her fiancee and stumbles towards the bed. After searching for it briefly, she finds Jane's trinket at just the place Jennifer left it behind. Of course. Grabbing it, her fingers are scratching on the dried blood involuntarily and for a moment she gets lost in her thoughts. Was it really only hours ago she gave this present to Jane?
Swallowing heavily, she is forcing her attention back to the present time and wheels around, hurrying back into Jane's arms quickly. Her fiancee is lifting her with strong arms gently, carrying her like a child towards the elevator and Liara nuzzles her head against Jane's shoulder happily. Everything would be all right again.
Jane calls the elevator and places another short kiss on the side of Liara's crest. The gesture of affection causes a feeling of radiating warmth inside Liara. Jane would keep her safe...
Smiling lovingly, she looks up, touching her fiancee's freckled cheek with caring fingers. The woman's still tense expression softens immediately and Jane bows her head down into a tender kiss, igniting Liara's soul with the familiar spark and relaxing her body.
However, after the first sensation is over, Liara suddenly has the feeling that something is very... wrong. Her heart rate is jumping up and her chest is painfully tight.
What in the name of the goddess...?!
Opening her eyes wide in shock, she is realising the reason for her panic attack. Without a doubt, it is Jane kissing her; the pleasantly tingling sensation at her lips and the aura of security is proof enough.
But, for one moment, Liara felt the ghostly touch of Jennifer, kissing her blue lips...