A/N: Try reading the chat session while 'Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye)' is playing in the background.
Disclaimer: Mass Effect, the Mass Effect universe, and the characters within, all belong to BioWare.
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Last Rites
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Chapter 13: The Loyalist
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She is lying on his bed, in his embrace.
It is truly a magical moment for her.
All this time, she's been searching for perfection.
She never thought that in imperfection, she founds something perfect.
A man that accepts her not for her perfection, but for her imperfections.
They had left the engine room for his loft after he said that, despite the amazingly charged lovemaking they did there, a cold hard corrugated steel floor had never been, and would never ever be, considered romantic.
She feels content. Everything is falling into their correct places. Whether they will survive the Suicide Mission or not, their lives have been made complete.
Except for one piece of closure.
Nimbly she leaves her lover on the bed, being extra careful not to disturb his nap.
She tiptoes to his personal terminal, and logs in.
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Chatroom Laws_Together [Private] created.
Mistress_SR2 entered the room.
Ori_is_cute entered the room.
M: ori, how are you?
O: fine, randa. bored like hell at school, but fine
M: school is good for you, you know.
M: you dumped danner yet?
O: randa!
O: my god, we just went out for what, two dates, and you already expect me to dump him?
O: sis, get a life, please!
M: backup plan is always necessary.
O: *rolleyes* no wonder you don't have a boyfriend
M: no one had been perfect enough for me.
O: figures
O: wait
O: that's a past perfect tense
M: so?
O: randa, you hooked up with that cute commander of yours?
M: none of your business.
O: yes! i knew it i knew it i knew it!
M: what?
O: i knew you had the hots for him... whatsisname? theo :D
M: he's my commanding officer!
O: yeah, and also the object of your imagination, i bet ;)
M: ori!
O: aw c'mon sis, you need someone to be there beside you. he fits the bill
O: handsome, caring, skilled
O: and nice bod! oooohh... :9
M: ori, please stop!
O: or else what? lemme guess:
O: you're blushing. yet smiling. and exasperated at me heh heh :P
M: no, i am not.
O: yes you are
M: i am not!
O: yes you are yes you are yes you are :D
M: *sigh* fine. stop being so childish!
O: so, you admit it? you hooked up with him?
M: i'd rather not say we hooked up...
O: um, whut?
O: randa, you didn't just sleep with him like it's a one night stand, did you?
M: how do you know that term?
O: randa, puhleeeze... i'm not a child anymore. i'm of consenting age now ;)
M: that's what i'm afraid of. i think i may have to ask your guards to keep a closer eye on you.
O: hey, good idea! stephen is a handsome hunk ;)
M: who's stephen?
O: one of the guards i had an eye on ;)
M: what? i'm replacing him!
O: awwww...
M: you're just pulling my legs aren't you?
O: *LOL* i am a transparent gal :D
M: *sigh* where were we?
O: you're about to tell me that dearest theo is not just a one night stand...
M: well... he's not.
O: sis, i'm happy for you :)
M: thanks.
M: i guess.
O: he had knelt on one knee in front of you?
M: a bit too early for that.
M: the time's not suitable yet.
O: lassoo him and rein him in, randa! (y)
M: *LOL* i don't think that's necessary.
O: you don't want to lose him to other contenders, you know
M: he's not like that.
M: he's caring, loyal, and a man of conviction.
O: my. you're in deep, sis
M: pardon?
O: when you use those words...
O: let's just say i'll be looking forward to the day i see you walk down the aisle :)
O: i'm happy for you, randa. i really am :)
M: thanks :)
M: i wish that's not just a pipe dream, though
O: why is that?
M: the next mission... we might not get back.
M: that's why i wanted to chat with you. to say my goodbyes.
M: and if i've ever done wrong to you, please forgive me.
M: ori? are you still there
O: yes
O: i...
O: i'll keep you both in my prayers
M: thanks
O: don't die sis... please?
M: i can't promise
O: i...
O: i want you see me graduating
O: i want to see you two get married!
O: return alive, you hear randa! return alive!
M: i'll do my best
O: promise me, dammit!
M: it doesn't work that way, ori.
O: i'm crying here, randa! i don't want to lose you!
M: i'm crying here, too, ori.
M: please don't make this harder than it already is.
ori_is_cute is away.
ori_is_cute is back.
M: where did you go?
O: tissues
M: i see.
O: alright, i'm calming down
M: okay.
O: at least, promise me you'll do your best to return alive? with theo in tow
M: that, i can promise.
O: alright, that's enough. i guess
M: i have to apologize, ori.
O: for what?
M: for making you cry. and if the worst come, for all the moments that i will no longer be able to see.
O: STOP TALKING LIKE THAT RANDA!
M: sorry. you know what they say.
M: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
O: *sigh*
O: life's unfair
M: life is never fair.
O: i only saw you once. the guardian angel mom and dad were always talking about
O: now life wants to take you away from me?
O: can't you just skip this mission? call in sick, or something?
M: i ...
M: i can't do that.
M: i want to be by theo's side. whatever the outcome will be.
O: *sigh*
O: for better or for worse
O: how sweet :')
M: *rolleyes* you are hopelessly romantic.
M: ori, i gotta go.
M: it's almost time.
O: okay
O: take care, sis
M: i will.
O: you and theo both like you promised
M: i promise.
O: i love you, randa
M: and i love you, too, ori.
M: bye.
Mistress_SR2 has left the room.
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She closes the Tor-Secured Extranet Relay Chat channel, and covers her face with her hands as the full emotion rolls over her like a tsunami.
She starts to cry.
She must've cried herself to exhaustion, because the next thing she knows, he's gently shaking her shoulder to wake her up.
Opening her eyes, she sees him smiling at her. That caring smile full of warmth and love, the one he reserves only for her. The only smile that can melt her cold and hardened heart.
"I see you've been chatting with Oriana."
She snaps her gaze the terminal screen. She gasps as she realizes that she hasn't closed the chat app.
"You miss her?" he says, more a statement than a question.
She stands up and tries to don her emotion-less mask. "She's already grown up. I'm just ... keeping her safe. In case we ... don't make it, she doesn't have to scour the galaxy for me."
He looks deep into her eyes. She tries averting his gaze. He hugs her and gently caresses her raven hair.
And she starts to cry again as she pours her emotions, her fears, her disquiet, to the only man she trusts. And loves.
For others, she might be The Ice Queen.
But not for him.
He sees through all the façades and emotional barriers she erected around herself.
For him, she's the imperfectly perfect Miranda Lawson. The only one that can make the also imperfect Theodore Shepard ... perfect.
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For one comes to love not by finding the perfect person,
but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.
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Author's Note: Oriana's a sharp gal, isn't she? :)
The inspiration for this chapter came from LotSB DLC. I took the liberty of *not* following the LotSB chatting style, though.
The final quotation is attributed to Mr. Sam Keen.
Next Chapters: we'll see the last person on the Normandy who's yet to do his last rites, *then* we'll see a parade of other major ME characters *not* on the Normandy. Stay tuned!
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