2171
Jane squinted at her assignment, rubbing her temple absently, trying to stave off the headache. It was late, Bob had long since gone to bed, but she still wasn't done her homework.
The lights in the kitchen were bright, not helping her situation much, but if she worked on the couch a few feet away she'd probably fall asleep. Jethro, Jane and Bob had moved into this apartment shortly after Pat's death three years ago. It was small, but it was home.
One of the older gang members had pretended to be Jane's dad, and they'd been given the two bedroom place without too much hassle. The landlord had no idea that there were only teenagers living in the apartment.
The door opened, revealing Jethro.
"Hey," he greeted. "What the hell are you still doing up? It's almost 2:00."
"Homework," Jane replied, stretching. "Almost done, though. How'd the job go?"
Jethro dropped down to the couch with a sigh. "Same old," he replied, taking off his shoes. "Bob's asleep?"
Jane nodded. "Yeah, she crashed pretty early."
Jethro smiled faintly. He and Bob had started going out in the last few months. Jethro had been waiting until Bob was older, but their connection ran deep. Something about the quiet girl drew Jethro to her. They'd quickly grown inseparable.
Jane turned back to her homework.
"K, too bad, kid, but your work is going to be pretty shitty this late at night," Jethro pulled her chair back from the table. "Bed, now."
"Fine," Jane muttered. "But I'm setting my alarm for really early to finish."
"You do that," Jethro said pushing her into her room. Jane glanced over at Bob's bed, and snorted to see that she wasn't sleeping there. Probably crashed out in Jethro's bed.
Bob almost never slept in their room anymore, not since the two started having sex. Jane appreciated the privacy, but she missed having someone to talk to in the middle of the night.
Sleep found her quickly.
Her omnitool sounding in her ear woke her up. Jane pushed herself out of bed, feeling incredibly tired, but knowing she still had a good hour's worth of homework left to do before classes started.
She shuffled into the kitchen, and put a pot of coffee on. They'd run out of milk the day before, and sugar last week, so Jane resigned herself to drinking it black and started in on her work.
Bob emerged from Jethro's room around 7:00, when Jane was already halfway through the pot of coffee and putting the finishing touches on her assignments.
"Did you get any sleep, Gadget?" Bob asked, yawning. Jane glanced over at her short friend. She was wearing an oversized tee-shirt, displaying her stocky, muscular legs.
"Yeah, Jethro came in around two and made me go to bed," Jane yawned.
Blushing, Bob sent Jane a grin. "Yeah, I know what time he came home," she sang out quietly.
Jane snorted. "We don't have much to eat."
"Let's go grocery shopping after school?"
"I can't, I have to go to the lab," Jane sighed. "Have to work on the detonator for the boom sticks." She rolled her eyes. "Finch wants them impossible to disarm."
"Gadget," Bob warned. "You're spreading yourself too thin," she sat down across the table from Jane and took her hand. "You need to take better care of yourself, or you're going to get sick, make mistakes."
Jane sent Bob a quick grin. "I'm ok, Bob, don't worry so much. I'm going to jump in the shower."
"Hot water's out again," Bob warned.
Her glacially cold shower was as fast as she could make it, and she was shivering violently by the time she got out and pulled on her clothes for school. Jethro was still sleeping when Bob and Jane left for school.
It was a cold November day, and Jane shivered against the New York weather. She'd pulled a beanie over her wet hair, her hands buried deep in the pockets of her worn coat.
Bob glanced over at Jane, and shook her head. "We should get you a new coat," Bob mused. "Maybe for your birthday, or something?"
Jane shrugged. "I'm fine."
"You're shivering!" Bob exclaimed. "You never spend credits on yourself, Jethro should have hauled in enough last night to buy you a new coat. Used, maybe?"
"Bob, when did you turn into such a worrywart mom?" Jane asked, laughing. Bob was right. Jane never spent a credit more than she had to, putting the rest in a savings account. She always had enough saved up to cover rent if they were short, but she only dipped into the fund when it was dire.
She was saving all her credits for when she was old enough to get away from the Reds, old enough to be out on her own. She'd maybe go to school. University, or something. Get a degree, make money. Do good things.
Bob pressed her lips together. "Can I tell you something?"
Jane looked at Bob, surprised. "You can tell me anything, Bob. You know that."
"Promise?" Bob stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to face Jane. "Oh, God. I'm pregnant, Gadget."
Jane's eyes widened. "Shit, what are you going to do?"
Bob shook her head. "I have no idea," she replied. "I just don't know."
Jane pulled Bob into a tight hug. "It's going to be ok, Bob. I promise."
Bob hugged her back, her grip crushing.
"It's going to be ok."
Jane yawned widely when she walked into the lab. Jethro was there, hunched over a workbench, and Bob was sitting next to him, watching over his shoulder.
"Hey," she greeted. "Where are the boom sticks?"
Bob gestured absently at a back room, and Jane walked in, sniffling. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she worried that Bob was right and she'd run herself down and was sick.
The bombs sitting in front of her were in long, narrow pipes, the reason they'd been nicknamed the boom sticks. Bob had developed the bombs, and Jane was responsible for making sure that only the person who sets the bomb can disarm it.
Bob had an affinity for making things explode, a talent that Finch exploited as often as he could. When Bob learned how to create controlled explosions to break through floors, Finch had gone on a rampage, hitting every place he could.
Jane opened her omnitool, and pulled up the blueprints she'd been working on. The detonator was a complicated piece of tech. Jane was thrilled with the results.
She coughed into her arm, and set to work.
"Should we wake her up?"
Jane blinked. Her face was pressed into the hard surface of the workbench, eyes inches away from the boom sticks. She felt wretched.
"Gadget?" A hand dropped to her shoulder. "Come, kid, time to wake up."
Sniffling, Jane pushed herself up until she was sitting up. "Time is it?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes, coughing.
"It's nine," Jethro replied. "Let's go home, you can finish the detonators later, when you've gotten a good night's sleep. In this state you'll make mistakes."
Jane nodded, coughing again.
Bob stepped forward, worried. "You ok, Gadget?" The older girl pressed a hand to Jane's face. "Shit, Jethro, she's burning up."
"I'm ok," Jane protested, standing up. "I just need some Tylenol and sleep."
"Let's go home," Bob pulled Jane up, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Let's spring for a cab, ok?"
Jane nodded. "Yeah, ok."
Jethro used his omnitool to call a cab to the diner around the corner, and the trio made their way towards the brightly lit diner.
"Shit," Jethro turned back as they reached the door. "I forgot something back at the lab, I'll be right back. Don't leave without me."
He sprinted down the street, and Bob ushered Jane into the diner. "Want a hot chocolate to go?" Bob asked, leading Jane to the counter. "The cab'll take long enough to get here that we can order one."
Jane nodded, shivering again.
"Hey, Kelly," Bob called to the waitress behind the counter. "Can we get a hot chocolate, to go?"
"Sure thing," Kelly replied. "Gimme a sec."
Bob turned to grin at Jane when a sudden explosion sounded, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
Jane and Bob looked at each other in sudden horror, before running for the door. They burst onto the street and out into a nightmare.
The labs were completely destroyed, burning.
"JETHRO!" Bob screamed.
Jane's eyes widened and she froze, seeing the crumpled body of the older boy laying amidst the rubble from the building. Bob ran to his side, dropping to her knees.
"Gadget, what do I do?" Bob sobbed, looking to the younger girl in despair. "Gadget, please, help me."
But Jane could only stare in horror, until the vomit rumbled up into her mouth, and she was collapsing onto her hands and knees, throwing up.
"Somebody help me!" Bob screamed. "Please, someone…"
"Kevin LaFloche?"
Bob jumped up. "Here. Me. I'm his. He's…"
"It's ok, kid," the doctor said, his voice gentle.
Jane moved slowly, slinking close to Bob, staying quiet.
"Mr. LaFloche – "
"He likes Jethro," Bob whispered. "He doesn't like his real name."
The doctor nodded. "Jethro, then. Jethro sustained heavy injuries. He is going to survive, but you have to prepare yourselves. We do not yet know the full extend of the effects of his injuries."
Jane felt tears fill her eyes. "What do you mean?" She cried out.
"Jethro sustained a severe trauma to his spine," the doctor explained. "He is currently showing signs of paralysis, but the spinal cord hasn't been severed. There is a chance he'll regain mobility, but it won't be until after he's undergone months of healing, and months of rehab."
Jane dropped her head into her hands, crying.
"Quiet, Gadget," Bob said softly. "He'll live?"
"He'll live," the doctor replied.
"That's enough," Bob nodded. "Can I see him? Gadget here is sick, so maybe one of the doctors could take a look at her?"
The doctor looked at the crying Jane, and nodded. "I'll get a nurse to show you to Mr. La… I mean, to Jethro's room."
"Thank you," Bob replied. "Gadget, go with the doctor," she instructed. "Then go home. Take a cab. I'll be there when I can."
"Bob," Jane whispered, reaching for her hand. Bob shook it off, sending Jane a cold look.
"I told you to sleep," Bob snapped. "I told you to take care of yourself. I warned you you'd make mistakes!
Jane's eyes widened impossibly. "I don't… I…"
"The boom sticks are the only thing it could have been, Gadget," Bob hissed quietly. "The only explosives in the lab. You made a mistake. And Jethro almost died because of it. Might be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life because of it." Bob drew herself up and away. "Now I'm going to go see the father of my baby, and you're going to go take care of yourself so that nothing like this ever happens again," Bob moved close to Jane, eyes narrow. "Understand?"
Jane nodded, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Bob – "
"I don't want to hear it," Bob snapped. "Doctor, she's all yours. Where is the nurse?"
With that, Bob disappeared into the hospital, leaving a broken hearted Jane behind.
2186
"Jane?"
"Yeah, come in," Jane called, sprawled in her bed, her broken leg throbbing in pain.
Garrus appeared around the corner, holding a tray in his hands. "I brought you dinner."
"Thank you," she smiled and she pushed herself up. After some cursing and maneuvering, Jane finally managed to scoot back and lean against the bulkhead behind her cot. "What'd you bring?"
"Um… I don't remember what it is called," Garrus handed her the tray, and sat down on the chair next to her desk.
"Mac'n'cheese!" Jane exclaimed. "Oh my god, this is my favorite. Thank you."
"Good," Garrus breathed, looking stunned.
Jane sent him a narrow eyed look. "Are you ok?"
"Your brother just made me his XO," Garrus said, his voice inflectionless.
"I heard, congratulations!" Jane exclaimed. "That's fantastic, you definitely deserve it. When I'm mobile, we'll have to celebrate." She laughed. "Well, when I get back from my N7 mission, at least."
Garrus let out a long breath. "I… I can't believe…"
"Why not? There's no one on this boat he trusts more than you," Jane said simply, stabbing the cheesy meal in front of her with a fork, and popped it into her mouth with a quiet moan. "This is so fucking good, Garrus. Thank you."
The turian was quiet, his eyes middle distance from her. "Not even you?" He finally asked.
"Huh?"
"You said that there's no one on this boat he trusts more than me," Garrus replied. "Not even you?"
She chuckled. "I'd be a terrible XO. I'm awful at taking orders, worse at filing reports…" she shrugged. "So is John, but for whatever reason, that makes him a hero. That and the Alliance surrounds him with people who are good at the things he's shitty at."
Garrus let out a long sigh. "My father is going to… Well, I don't know. But my being the XO aboard a mostly human crewed Spectre ship? Let's just say it isn't really what he wanted for me."
"What does he want for you?" Jane asked, curious.
"To be a thorough, hard-working C-Sec Officer," Garrus replied. "To do the work he did. Although, I think he understands that the work I'm doing is important."
"Tell me about him," she requested, resting her head back and closing her eyes.
He was silent for a long moment, so Jane lifted her head and focused on him again. "Or not," she said simply. "It's ok, I'm just bored. You don't have to tell me about him if you don't want to."
"It isn't that," Garrus struggled to explain. "It's complicated."
"I get it, Garrus," Jane sent him an easy smile. "Really, no worries."
"I just haven't heard from him… Or my sister, since before I left Menae," Garrus said quickly. "I'm terrified… My mom… she died. Before the Reapers invaded. I got to see her before she passed, and she made me promise to take care of them. And I don't even know if they're alive."
"I'm sorry about your mom, Garrus," Jane scooted down the bed, setting her tray aside and reached out to take his hand, squeezing tightly. "But if your dad and sister are even a little bit like you, they'll get out of this just fine."
He met her eyes and smiled, grateful. "Thanks," he breathed.
"Did you bring dinner for yourself?" She asked suddenly.
Garrus stared at her in momentary surprise. "No, I…"
"Go get yourself something to eat," Jane suggested. "Then come back and have dinner with me." She grinned. "Go fast," she said with a smile. "I don't think I can wait too long before I shovel the rest of this into my mouth."
Garrus stood up, laughing nervously. "I'll be right back."
Jane scooted back and relaxed against the bulkhead, letting out a long sigh. "Hey, EDI, is John ok?"
"The Commander is well, Lieutenant," EDI replied.
"You'll tell me if he wasn't, right?" Jane asked, biting at her lip, worried.
"I will, Lieutenant. The Commander is sleeping right now," EDI reported. "He is well, Lieutenant, I promise."
"Thank you, EDI," Jane said softly.
Moments later, Garrus returned to Life Support, a bowl full of something that looked like noodles but smelled like blood in hand.
Jane sent the turian a smile, and put a forkful of mac'n'cheese in her mouth. "Sit," she gestured widely, including both the chair by her desk and the corner of her cot. She grinned widely when he sat on the side of her bed.
"Thanks for inviting me to dinner," Garrus said with a small, turian grin.
"You can have dinner with me any day, Vakarian," Jane replied seriously, and ate more mac'n'cheese. "Especially if you keep bringing me this stuff."
Garrus smiled at her, and turned back to his food. They ate quietly for a few moments, before Garrus took a deep breath. "My dad wasn't an easy man to have as a father," he said haltingly.
Jane froze with her fork halfway to her mouth, eyes wide on his face.
"He had a lot of expectations," he continued. "Of me, my future… I remember he used to make me hold a rifle for hours, not letting me go in until I managed to hit all the targets." Garrus sighed and leaned back.
The fork finished its journey to her mouth. After chewing for a moment, she swallowed, and pushed the now empty tray off her cot. "Seems unfair, to put that much pressure on a kid. Shouldn't they just be kids?"
"Not for turians," Garrus replied, his voice amused. "I started learning military history from about the first moment I can remember. My father, every time he was home on Palaven, he would spend hours going over military doctrine, morality, logic, target practice," he laughed. "Everything he thought he could teach me to be the perfect little C-Sec officer, he forced into me."
"Sounds like he cared a lot, at least," Jane said, thinking of Pat, and all the kids she'd helped take care of. She was hard on them, pushed them. Because she cared. And because she wanted them to have the best childhood she could provide. Her's had been a wash, but the kids in her care… she'd done right by them as best she was able.
Garrus laughed, the sound bitter. "That's what he used to say. Garrus, I'm only being this hard on you because I care about you, son."
"I guess when you're on the receiving end of it, it doesn't sound like fatherly affection," she smiled at him tightly. "I… um, I had to take care of a lot of people, when I was younger," she said, not meeting his eye, feeling her cheeks flush with nerves. "Kids," she explained. "My foster mom, Pat. She… Well, you heard on Benning," she glanced over.
Garrus nodded. "Yeah. But you can tell me. If you want."
"I'll tell you one day," she picked at the edge of her pressure cast. "Later. But there were other kids. It wasn't just the two of us, it felt like she brought home a new homeless kid every other week. But, it was good. I mean, that's how she found me, that's how I landed on my feet. She took me in," Jane ground her teeth together, taking a deep breath the moment her voice wavered.
"It's hard," she went on. "Being responsible for people, you know? When I couldn't take care of Pat's kids anymore… It wasn't a good time for me," she let out a long breath. "I felt like I'd failed them. Let them down. And then there was an accident with the crew I ran with," she glanced over at Garrus out of the corner of her eye. "That's something else that'll have to go on the 'I'll tell you one day' list of things to tell you. But it was my fault. And someone I care about got hurt."
Garrus took Jane's hand in his own, and squeezed, saying nothing.
"I requested solo gigs when I graduated from the ICT and received my N7 designation," Jane continued. "I've never really felt comfortable having people rely on me since."
"You do alright with us," Garrus observed, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand.
"I trust Johnnie," she said by way of explanation. "And you, too. Makes it easier, somehow."
Garrus nodded. "And scarier, because if you fuck up, something will go even more terribly wrong?"
Wordlessly, Jane nodded, then leaned into his side, resting her head on his heavily armored chest.
Garrus was still for a long moment, before he relaxed, and wrapped his arm around Jane's shoulder. "It was my dad who taught me how to shoot. And to love shooting, too. But I was more like my mom than my dad, so I never really had much in common with him. He wanted me to follow the rules and I wanted to be a Spectre."
Jane relaxed into his side, fighting to stay awake. "What's your best memory of him?"
He laughed quietly, the rumble of it making its way through his armor and into her bones. "I don't know… "
"A memory that makes you smile," she needled, poking him between plates of armor.
"Everything was always a lecture with him," Garrus shrugged. "Even when I was on Palaven before the Reapers invaded. He listened to me, sure, but then he lectured me for hours after getting me a viewing with Primarch Fedorian."
"Any particularly good lectures?" Jane's eyes drifted closed.
"Once I called him," Garrus said suddenly, his tone almost brusque. It was enough of a shift in the tone of his voice that Jane's eyes flew open, and fixed to his predatory eyes. "Dad. When I thought I was going to die, on Omega. Holding off three merc bands for days. I was running low on heat sinks, and stims, and food… I was exhausted, and had all but lost hope, and I just wanted… To make it ok between us. You know? If I was going to die, I wanted my dad to know that I was sorry for being such a shit."
Jane let out a soft laugh at that. "What did he say?"
"He knew," Garrus replied. "Right away, before I could say anything, he knew something was off. And we talked. Not about anything specific, but I think it was the first time that we were speaking to each other and hearing what the other was saying. I hung up when I saw your brother through my scope."
"Wow," Jane breathed. "There's a bit more to this rocket to the face story than you originally told me, isn't there?"
Garrus sent her an amused look. "To be filed under things 'I'll tell you one day.'"
"Noted," Jane's eyes drifted shut again, and she let herself relax more deeply against Garrus's side.
"Jane?" Garrus whispered.
"Mmm?"
"Never mind," he said after a long pause. "Go to sleep."
Jane's eyes snapped open to the sound of the Life Support doors hissing open, then shut again.
The room was dark. She was on her side on her cot, blankets tucked carefully around her. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep to the sound of Garrus's voice.
He must have tucked her in. The doors hissing open must have been Garrus leaving her room.
She let her eyes close, and smiled faintly, thinking of the turian.
She'd given up denying it – at least to herself. Everything about him was interesting, or sexy, or just plain hot. Or all three. She sighed softly, and let her hand trail down her stomach and into her shorts.
"Who are you thinking about?"
Jane gasped, her eyes flying open.
"Ah, the turian."
One hand reached for the Paladin she now stashed under her bed, and mindful of her cast, she sat up, aiming for the voice. "EDI, lights."
The lights in Life Support came up, revealing Javik standing just outside of the short corridor into Life Support.
Jane didn't lower the gun. "What the fuck are you doing in here?"
"I am exploring this vessel," he replied, nonplussed.
"Why in the fuck did you think it was ok to come in here when someone was sleeping? How long have you been here?" Jane demanded, her tone growing more shrill.
He shrugged. "You are a primitive being. Why should I care?"
Jane's jaw dropped, and she tightened her grip on the Paladin.
The door to Life Support opened again, revealing John.
"What the hell is going on?" He snapped, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"He came in while I was sleeping," Jane spoke quietly, her voice low. "He was watching me."
John's eyes widened marginally, and he turned to look at Javik for a long moment. "That's not acceptable on this ship, Javik," John said evenly.
"I fail to see what I have done wrong," Javik said simply.
"You read John's physiology enough to learn how to talk to us, but you didn't learn enough to know that coming into someone's room when they're sleeping is creepy and wrong?" Jane demanded, incredulous.
"Your door was not locked, and you woke up when I came in," Javik made a small apologetic gesture. "When you said nothing I assumed you knew I was there."
"Get the fuck out of my quarters," Jane said flatly, her gun still leveled unwaveringly at the prothean. "Or I will shoot you in the head."
John glanced back at Jane for a fraction of a second. "Javik, go back to your quarters, I'll be there in a minute."
Javik turned and left without comment.
"You ok?
Jane lowered her gun, then tucked it back under her bed, and looked at her brother. "I don't want him in here again."
"I'll make sure he understands," John said quietly. "I'm sorry that happened."
"I'm sorry EDI had to wake you up," Jane apologized.
"It's my job," John shrugged. "And I brought him onto the ship. I'm responsible for him. I didn't think he'd be more difficult to manage than a krogan, but… well, there you go. I'm still sorry."
She shrugged, and slumped back onto the cot, pulling the blanket back over her body. "S'ok. Probably not entirely his fault. We are primitive creatures, after all."
John laughed. "I have to go deal with him. You going to be ok? Want me to come back?"
Jane shook her head. "No, thanks. Give him hell, Johnnie."
"EDI? Lock the door behind me," John waved, and walked out of the room.
Jane closed her eyes, and tried to fall back asleep. She shuddered.
"Gross."
"That will not happen again, Lieutenant," EDI announced, her voice grim.
Jane laughed. "Thanks, EDI." Sleep came quickly after that.
Five days later, Jane found herself in the cargo bay, exercising her leg. She and James, after the burly marine and Garrus had sparred, had set up a basic gym in the cargo bay. John had given the two a budget for equipment, and it had become one of the more popular spots on the ship.
Dr. Michel had taken Jane's cast off yesterday, and assigned her several exercises to strengthen the leg. The bone was healed, and now was aching, but the pain was nothing Jane couldn't handle. The gym was empty, something for which Jane was grateful. She didn't like people to see her in pain.
She grit her teeth as she stretched, flat on her back, red hair plastered to her forehead and the back of her neck. It hurt like a bitch.
"Singer."
Jane glanced up at the giant krogan standing over her. The few times she'd seen Wrex, he'd been relaxed and nearly motionless. Now, he was fidgeting and twitching. "Hey, Wrex. How goes intergalactic politicking?"
He grunted, and shifted from one foot to the other. "Turians are a pain in my quad. Why are you on the floor?"
"Broke my leg on a mission. Dr. Michel gave me exercises to do," Jane looked up at him. "You're looking terribly uncomfortable, Wrex, everything ok?"
"Turians aren't the only pain in my quad," he grunted, and rubbed his posterior. "That damned salarian."
"Mordin?" Jane grinned. "I've heard he's as unforgiving with a scalpel as he is with his SMG."
"Needed a 'sample,'" Wrex grunted and gave in, rubbing at his quad in discomfort. "He cut me deep."
Jane laughed. "Poor krogan," she teased. "Sample from the quad and you go running."
He growled at her quietly. "How is your… commander?" He asked pointedly.
Jane shrugged. "He's not on the ship," she finally said. "So he's probably saving the galaxy, killing someone, getting the girl… You know, hero stuff and all that shit."
"Sounds likely," Wrex mused, finally sitting down on a crate in front of her, his motions gingerly. Jane sat up and scooted back until she was leaning against another crate. "I'm no fool, Singer. I know the turians need my people, and that your people need those scaly bastards. But… I have to put Tuchanka first," Wrex let out a heavy sigh, and fixed his blood red eyes on Jane. "The longer this cure takes, the more I wonder if my demands are dooming the galaxy."
She made a face, looking into the middle distance as she pondered his thought. She reached down with both hands to massage her aching calf. "Wrex, Tuchanka has been the galaxy's shitting bowl for a long time. The Genophage is bull. It is time for the Genophage to end, Wrex. Now is the time."
Pausing, Jane sent him and assessing look. She didn't know this krogan very well, but he'd just been brutally honest with her, and she felt she owed him the same courtesy. "Wrex – if it weren't for you," she paused for a moment, thinking. "And Eve," she finally said, "I'd probably be fighting against curing the Genophage. You're what's different. You're the defining factor of the turn of the krogan people."
He was quiet, growling faintly. Jane gave a quiet prayer to whoever was listening that she hadn't pissed him off too badly.
"You might be right," Wrex mused. "But it was your commander who let me join the crew of the Normandy on the SR1. Who taught me more in those months than I'd learned in centuries. And it was your commander who made me realize that I could be a leader to my people. It was your commander who brokered this deal, who made this cure possible. He saved Maleon's data. He saved Eve."
"Hey, pretty sure I saved Eve, big guy," Jane joked, grinning.
"You know what I mean," Wrex grunted.
"Sound like you owe my… commander a great deal," Jane replied, quirking an eyebrow at the krogan comically.
Wrex laughed. "You pyjaks," he shook his head. "No one on Tuchanka has ever made me laugh like a pyjak human."
Jane grinned. "Never really thought of krogan as comedians," she joked, pushing herself to her feet and putting weight on her leg experimentally.
Wrex grunted, jerking his chin at her leg. "What happened?"
"I broke my leg on a mission," Jane repeated dryly.
"Is there a funny story that goes along with it?" Wrex pressed. "An injury like that usually comes with a funny story."
"I let the newest guest on Deck 4 get the better of me on Eden Prime," Jane sighed. "When he was waking up from fifty thousand years of cryogenic coma." She snorted. "He was hardly aware and still knocked me clear off the platform. Garrus actually had to climb down and rescue me, like some big blue knight in shining armor."
Wrex snorted out a short laugh. "The turian, eh? You and your commander have a thing for aliens, huh?"
Jane froze, glancing up at the krogan. "I don't know what you mean…"
He let out a laugh. "Humans let off a scent when they want to bed someone," he explained. "Krogan can smell it, clear as day." He grinned.
Jane's face flushed red in sudden embarrassment.
Wrex stood up, rubbing at his quad again. "He's a turian, so he isn't worth much, but he's the best turian I know. For what it's worth."
Jane sent him a strangled grin, and nodded as Wrex ambled away.
"Fuck me, EDI, tell me no one else was around to hear that?" Jane whispered once Wrex disappeared through the elevator doors.
"No one else is currently in the shuttle bay, as Shepard took James with him on the extraction," EDI replied quietly. "And Cortez is flying the shuttle."
"How's it going down there, anyways?" Jane asked, suddenly, inexplicably nervous.
"One moment please, Lieutenant," EDI went momentarily silent. "Shepard has given the order to Cortez to extract the ground squad. The shuttle will return momentarily. All appears normal."
"Thanks," Jane replied, pulling on her sweater.
She was walking to the elevator, limping slightly, when the cargo bay doors opened behind her. Jane turned to watch the shuttle land, leaning against the requisitions consol and zipped her hoodie closed. As always, the shields keeping the Normandy's atmosphere in and the great vacuum of space from sucking it out smelled faintly of ozone and caused the hairs on her arms to stand up.
The shuttle landed, shuttle bay doors closing behind the Kodiak.
The doors hissed open, and James barreled out of the shuttle, a furious look on his face. "Fuckin' asshole. Lucky I don't shoot him in the fuckin' head," James muttered as he stormed past her and into the elevator. "Pendejo."
Jane turned to the shuttle, her head cocked to the side in curiosity. James had to have meant Javik. He wasn't exactly… settling in on the Normandy. Instead, he was seemingly attempting to make everyone around him adjust to his way of life.
Complaints about the prothean had become commonplace about the ship. He'd seemingly driven a wedge between himself and every single other member of the crew. Thankfully, he'd all but been a ghost when it came to her, so she wondered what John said to him to keep him away.
"Javik, you can't treat people like that," John said as he exited the shuttle, his tone exasperated and annoyed. Javik was close behind him exiting the shuttle. John turned to confront Javik, hands on his hips.
Jane narrowed her eyes. The prothean looked pissed. She quickly fired up the requisitions terminal so she could eavesdrop on the conversation.
Garrus backed out of the shuttle moments later, holding a large crate that Cortez was hefting on the other side. Jane's eyes flitted to the turian, unable to see his face, but she could read the tension in his body. Cortez, normally the most unrufflable guy on the ship, looked annoyed.
"I do not understand," Javik snapped. "That human was – "
"He has a name," Garrus muttered dryly as he and Cortez carried the large crate past the pair.
Javik snarled quietly, eyes dangerous as they flitted to Garrus before returning to John's face. "Fine. I will simply keep all my thoughts to myself."
"Javik," John sighed. "Look, you have to learn how to work with the crew. Because if you can't, you're off at the Citadel, and you can do whatever the fuck you want with your time. You're a valuable addition to this crew, but not at the expense of the happiness of my crew, and sure as fuck not at the expense of the success of our missions."
"We were simply recovering a religious icon," Javik's voice increased slightly in volume. "We were not at risk – "
"We could have been at risk," John cut him off, the lines of his back rigid in his anger. "You don't know what could have been down there. I need my crew to be focused on the mission, not on… Fuck, Javik, why the hell would you start bringing up that mission? How the hell do you even know about it?"
"I read many things," Javik said flatly. "You know this."
"And did you completely miss how James blames himself for what happened on Fehl Prime?" John replied, voice now resigned.
"He should blame himself," Javik replied. "Human," he gestured at John imperiously. "You should blame yourself for the deaths of those hundreds of thousands of batarians." He pointed at Jane. "That woman should blame herself for almost killing her closest friend." His hand moved, pointing unerringly at Garrus, without moving his eyes from John's. "The turian should blame himself for the death of his squad." The hand moved fractionally, now pointing at Cortez on the other end of the crate. "And that human should blame himself for the death of his husband. But you should not let it cripple you in battle."
Javik puffed himself up, looking down on John. "You should be lecturing him for letting my words distract him from the mission, not I for pointing out a truth."
The silence that descended upon the shuttle bay was heavy, until Garrus, growling, dropped his end of the crate and started stalking towards the prothean, his fists balled. Cortez intercepted the turian, speaking to him in low tones, pushing him back, away from Javik.
Jane felt a chill pass over her, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest, long having given up pretending she wasn't listening. Javik glanced back at her, and grinned viciously. "Should I tell the turian what you were thinking about in the night?"
Heat flushed Jane's face, her eyes widened then narrowed. "If you want me to remove your head from your body."
"You do not have your sword," Javik said smugly.
"I don't need a sword," she snarled back, her tone deadly, and started thinking about a vicious technique Thane had taught her. "Read my thoughts now, you smug bastard."
"Jane, stop it," John snapped. "And Javik…" John took a deep breath. "You're benched. No missions until you can learn to work with a team. And I'm not the one who will decide when that is. These guys will be the ones to decide," he gestured at Jane, Garrus and Cortez. "And James, too. And just in case you don't know who that is, considering the fact that I used his name, I'm talking about the human you purposely baited in the middle of a mission. Now get the hell out of my sight before I shoot you myself."
Javik stared at John for a long moment, before stepping around Jane's brother. Slowly, the prothean walked from the shuttle bay, his head held high, into the elevator.
Jane watched as the tension bled out of John's body. She wasn't planning on letting him off the hook as easily as he seemed to be letting himself off it.
"Remind me why we have him aboard again?" Jane snapped, one hand on her hip, glaring at her brother.
John frowned at her. "Cut the guy a bit of slack," John replied. "He's undergoing a huge amount of change. His society was run completely differently from the way we run ours. And he used to be the commanding officer, remember?"
"Don't make excuses for him," Jane protested, enraged. "He's being an asshole on purpose. To everyone on this fucking ship. And being a creep."
"He didn't know it was wrong, Jane," John snapped. "But trust me, he does now."
"How couldn't he have known?" Jane replied, her voice. "He can read every memory ever, but he doesn't pick up that watching someone while they're sleeping is inappropriate?"
"Excuse me?" Garrus interjected, stepping forward. "He was watching someone sleep? When? Who?"
"Stay out of this," John snapped, eyebrows furrowed. "Jane, he's invaluable. He's not going anywhere, not if I can help it. He wants to kill Reapers, you have the power to decide if he can. He's not going to be an asshole to you anymore."
"So you think you've handled it?" Jane laughed. "He can read just about everything about us, John. Think of what he knows about this crew? How dangerous that is? You can't keep anything from him."
"Thank you for pointing that out, Jane," John replied sarcastically. "I never would have thought about that. Why do you think I want him to stay aboard the Normandy so badly? He's just being an asshole, he isn't going to go blabbing sensitive secrets to Allers."
"He just purposely revealed things that no one wanted revealed," Jane managed.
"Aratoht is a matter of public record," John replied, his eyes narrowed.
"That woman should blame herself for almost killing her closest friend," Jane mimicked Javik's strange accent and speech pattern. "Don't you think that maybe I'd like to keep some things to myself? Don't you think there are things about me that I don't want to come out, Commander? Think Garrus wanted people to know about Omega? Or Cortez was interested in having his husband brought up that way?"
John blinked, and was silent for a moment. "Jane," he sighed. "Come on, it isn't that big of a deal. He didn't share anything that casts anyone but himself into a bad light -"
"That's not the point," Jane interrupted, now furious with John. "You're the commander. You brought him on the ship. You're responsible for his actions. And he… he… he violated…" She pressed her lips together, horrified to realize that she was on the brink of tears. Don't cry. Not now. Pull it together, Singer.
"You know what? Never mind. Your ship, your rules," she said, her voice hard. "Permission to be excused, sir? My leg is killing me, and I'd like to go back to my quarters."
"Come on, Jane," John sighed, sounding exasperated. "Don't be difficult."
"I'm sorry I've disappointed you, Commander," Jane replied, shifting her weight to her left leg. As much as she was pissed at her brother and Javik, she wasn't completely bullshitting him. Her leg was throbbing, she wanted to get off it. "But Dr. Michel ordered me that at the first sign of pain I should get off my feet, so…" her voice wobbled slightly on the last word, and she pressed her lips together again.
John's gaze gentled somewhat. "Dismissed."
Jane turned and walked to the elevator, not trying to hide her limp. The elevator was waiting for her, and she stepped inside, letting out a long breath of relief when the doors hissed shut behind her without anyone following.
She made it back to her quarters quickly, locking the door behind her. Sprawling on her cot, Jane buried her head under the pillow. A chime came at the door moments later.
"Who is it, EDI?" Jane asked, her voice muffled.
"XO Vakarian to see you," EDI replied.
Jane was quiet for a moment. "Not right now," she finally replied.
"Very well, Lieutenant," EDI replied. "I will inform him."
Jane moved until she was under her blankets, ignoring the fact that she was still sweaty from her workout and exercises for her leg.
"Lieutenant, XO Vakarian is somewhat insistent that he be allowed to speak with you," EDI announced.
Jane felt suddenly irritated, and pushed herself up, walking over to the door. "Unlock the door, EDI," she instructed, arms crossed over her chest.
The holopad flashed green in front of her. The door opened a moment later, revealing Garrus, who strode in purposefully, colliding with Jane. He automatically reached down to steady her when she staggered back.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly.
Jane blinked at him. "It was an accident," she frowned slightly.
"No, well, I'm sorry I bumped into you, but mostly I'm just…" he paused, looking down. "Your brother told me that Javik was watching you sleep and… I'm sorry I didn't think to lock the door when I left the other night. He wouldn't have gotten in if it weren't for me. So… I'm sorry."
"Ok," Jane shrugged off his hands and stepped back. "Fine."
Garrus blinked at her slowly. "Fine?"
"Yep. Fine," she raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"
"Uh," he pulled his brow plates together. "Not anymore."
Jane lifted a hand to her head and closed her eyes. "Can this wait? Please?" Jane pleaded, feeling suddenly vulnerable. "I'm angry and irritable and in pain, and I just need some distance. Please?"
The door was already closing before she finished her last plea.
The Normandy docked at the Citadel two days later. Swiftly packing her kit, Jane wasted no time leaving the ship. She'd managed to successfully avoid her brother, even though he'd actively sought her out a once each day.
Garrus, on the other hand, was avoiding her successfully, although she hadn't gone looking for him. When she'd finally gathered up the courage to go and see him the night before, she'd found the battery empty. EDI informing her that John, Garrus and Liara had gone on another extraction mission along their route back to the Citadel.
They'd arrived late into the night cycle, when Jane was sleeping, and both were still asleep by the time the Normandy docked at the Citadel. Something bothered her about leaving things unresolved with John, but she was still irritated with him, and left moments after the Normandy docked.
She activated her omnitool, keying in an omnitool id code from memory.
"Hey, Singer, good to see you," Quinn greeted once the small screen of her omnitool finished its connection. "I note that you aren't in front of me, reporting for duty, as ordered."
"Hey, cut me some slack," Jane said with a disarming smile. "I just got off the Normandy. I have to swing by the hospital, and then I'll be right there."
"I suppose that's acceptable," Quinn replied flippantly. "Hospital? Everything ok?"
"Broke my leg last mission," she answered.
"How'd you break your leg, Singer?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I could tell you, Quinnie," Jane smirked at him.
"See you soon, Singer," Quinn replied. "And no calling me Quinnie on missions, it's way too gay. Way gayer than I want to be at least."
"Quinnie, you're the gayest man I know. Oh my gosh, you'd die if you were aboard the Normandy," Jane grinned, winking at him. "Couple of prospects for you. All hunks, let me tell you."
"Shit, don't tell me the Normandy is a beefcake factory?" Quinn complained. "How the hell'd you get stationed there, anyways?"
"It's all about who you know, Quinnie," Jane replied.
"Who the hell do you know?" Quinn asked.
"Commander Shepard and I go way back," Jane answered flippantly.
"Fuck you, you're so full of shit," Quinn replied good-naturedly. "See you when you get here."
Jane killed the call and strode into the elevator. She hadn't lied to Quinn, not exactly. She was going to Huerta to see Thane. Her heart suddenly thundered in her chest.
Thane.
He worked her harder than any instructor at the ICT ever had. He'd never pulled a single punch. God, she was scared to see him sick and frail.
The elevator arrived at Huerta, and Jane stepped into the lobby, her eyes scanning the crowd. A lone drell was sitting by the window, a small smile on his face.
Jane paused, waited for him to notice her, knowing that his finely tuned senses would detect her before long. She stood still in the lobby, watching him. It took him a few moments before his head snapped to the side, eyes landing on her face. He stood, and crossed to her side.
"Siha," he greeted in a soft voice. "It has been too long since I last saw you."
"Thane," she replied, then grabbed him in a hug, holding him tightly around his waist. He hugged her back gently, rubbing one hand tentatively along her back.
"Do not be sad for me, Siha," Thane said softly when he noted her shaking shoulders. "This is my time. I greet it with open arms."
"Had to go and kill the mood, didn't you? Inject your damned zen-like attitude into everything, just like always," Jane pushed away from him, wiping impatiently at her eyes. "I've missed you."
"And I you," Thane replied, gesturing for her to follow him to the elevator. "Come, I've arranged a surprise for you."
Jane grinned at the drell, amused. "A surprise?"
Thane only smiled at her, his black eyes unfathomable. "You'll like it."
"Again, Siha!" Thane snapped.
Jane dropped into a crouch, holding her sword at the ready, waiting for the combat simulator to send another drone at her.
"How much time do we have?" Thane asked suddenly.
The drone flickered to life in front of her, and Jane grinned. "Enough for one more," she replied, and launched the offensive, bringing her sword down viciously on the decoy in front of her.
"Faster, move faster," Thane snapped. "Remember, speed, agility – that's what will keep you alive. Move! Yes, Siha! Like that!"
Jane dropped low, spinning as quickly as she could, bringing the sword up and through the bottom of the drone's brightly lit shell. The projection flickered and disappeared.
"Well done," Thane said quietly. "You've improved."
Jane grinned. "Well, it has nothing on the real thing, but goddamn does it feel good to stick my sword through something."
"Go," Thane gestured. "Go report to your squad leader for duty. I'll be here when you return to the Citadel."
Jane grabbed the drell, her arms locking around the back of his neck. "You'd better be," she whispered. "I'm not ready for you to go, yet."
"I will strive to survive, Siha," Thane replied dryly.
Jane waved, sheathing her sword, and grabbing her kit. She found an elevator quickly heading to Alliance Docking Bay D30 to report to Quinn and rejoin her old N7 squad.
