Debriefing
Jasmine laid back on her couch while Isaac paced the floor behind her, talking to someone way above her pay grade. He'd waited until he got her back at her apartment to let her know they didn't actually find the OSD or any of the stolen information on Remitun's omni-tool. Isaac figured Remitun must've passed it off to one of the others, and since they needed to stay on Remitun, no one stopped to check the other members of Blackwatch they killed along the way. Ordinarily, they would've backtracked to try to return to the corpses to check them over before they were discovered, but … Jasmine got shot and Isaac considered getting her to the clinic top priority. Admittedly, she felt more than a little touched. Something told her Leon would've slapped Medi-gel on her and left her there to go find the OSD, or maybe dragged her off somewhere dark and quiet until he could return for her.
But, it also meant Isaac needed to explain to his superiors why they hadn't retrieved the information. By the sounds of things, they blamed Jasmine. Of course. Honestly, she couldn't really argue with their logic, she'd followed Remitun to a secluded area on her own, without backup readily available. She fucked up, and she got shot. Twice.
Isaac, on the other hand, was pissed. "Bullshit! She did everything right. Don't you dare sit here and tell me this is her fault. She had my back, she took down a sniper about to shoot me, and when I told her to stay on Remitun while I diverted to take care of another threat, she did as she was told. That's it." His tone seethed, even if he managed to keep his volume level, something she'd never heard from him before.
She wasn't really used to having someone defend her, and she didn't really know how she felt about it. Her entire life, well, since her mother died, Jasmine looked out for herself, stood up for herself. Yeah, she had some help along the way, obviously. Hell, she'd been dead on the streets of Santa Fe if not for Geoffrey's interference … but still.
"Yes, and she was injured in the process, forcing you to tend to her instead of tracking down the information we sent you to retrieve." The man on the other end of the conversation scoffed, his voice grating on her nerves. "Obviously she didn't do something right."
"This isn't a civilian we're talking about, you get that, right?" Isaac's tone carried with it the underlying question of 'are you fucking stupid?'—and it brought a pained smile to Jasmine's face. "Remitun was Blackwatch, and, as you failed to tell us, a goddamn biotic with at least four people there to guard him." He threw a hand up in the air before rubbing it across his head. "How was she really supposed to defend against a biotic wearing armor and carrying an assault rifle? He used a Reave on her, that shit alone could've killed her!" He turned, pacing back closer to her. "Still, she took him down. Alone, while injured. Even I would've had trouble with him by myself under those circumstances."
Jasmine raised an eyebrow, but he didn't look at her as he continued his pacing. She highly doubted he would've fallen into the same trap she did, let alone been shot. She'd seen his hand to hand skills, he'd probably have taken down Remitun before the turian even pulled his biotics together. Not that she held any intentions of correcting Isaac, at least not while on a call with his superiors. Especially seeing as she didn't think they knew she was even in the room, and Isaac probably shouldn't have called them with her present. The man already proved himself a mother hen, though, and he said he didn't want to leave her alone until she started moving around better on her own.
"Very well, Winter," a woman said, and though Jasmine couldn't see the speaker, she strongly suspected the voice belonged to The Bitch. "You've made your point. As her handler and lead on this assignment, I expect you to hunt down the OSD. Today."
"Yeah." He stopped pacing, staring down whomever was on the screen. "I'll get right on it."
"A piece of advice? I wouldn't be so quick to stick my neck out for her, if I were you. She might decide it looks better slit," the woman said, making Jasmine almost entirely sure it was The Bitch talking, but the sound of nails tap, tap, tapping against a hard surface after the snide comment left Jasmine without a doubt.
"I'll take that under advisement, ma'am," he said, his voice cold enough to send a chill down Jasmine's spine.
A moment later, Isaac rounded the couch, omni-tool closed, and squatted down in front of her. "Will you be alright by yourself for a while?"
She smirked, knowing it probably didn't carry the weight she wanted with as shitty as she felt. "I'll survive, Dad."
He chuckled, pushing back to his feet. "Alright, Shepard, I'll remember that when you need help getting to the bathroom. I'm not wiping your ass, just so we're clear."
She laughed, following it with a groan. "Hey …" she said, letting seriousness seep into her voice, "... you can stop calling me Shepard, if you want. I think you've earned the right to call me Jasmine."
He snorted, pushing his lips out. "Mmmm, I don't know, you did just call me Dad." He smiled at her as he turned for the door, but she saw in his eyes how important the moment really was to him, despite his levity. "You need me to pick you up anything while I'm out?"
"A giant bottle of rum." She shifted enough to track his movements.
He stopped, turning around and taking a few steps back towards the couch. "Is liquor really a good idea?"
"Alcohol isn't really a problem for me. So far, anyway." She winced, pushing herself up enough to adjust the pillows behind her. "It's what I usually go to for pain relief."
"You're sure?" He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to nod before saying, "Alright. Brand preference?"
"Doesn't matter, just so it's strong." She waved her hand towards her bedroom. "Will you grab me a shirt before you go, I want out of this damn hospital gown."
Grinning, he bobbed his head. "Sure." Isaac disappeared into her room, returning a moment later with Thane's shirt and the throw blanket from the chair in her room. "This was hanging over the corner of your bed," he said, holding up Thane's shirt, "it looks comfortable. You want this or something else."
A soft smile spread over her lips and she said, "Perfect."
"Alright, let me help you." He tossed the shirt and the blanket on the back of the couch before moving to stand in front of her.
When she nodded, he eased her upright and undid the strings holding the gown closed, sliding it down off her arms. It left her sitting there in nothing but her panties, all of her other clothes having been removed at the clinic. Dropping the gown next to her, he picked up Thane's shirt again, rolling it up in his hands before slipping it over her head. It was actually kind of nice for a guy to see her topless and not oogle her tits. Hell, his gaze didn't even stray. He guided her injured arm through the sleeve while she worked on shoving her other arm through the opposite hole. Reaching behind her as she tugged the shirt down, he slid a hand under her hair, giving her goosebumps as he pulled her hair free of the collar. She idly wondered if he wanted children, because she thought he'd make a really good father.
Adjusting the pillows for her again, he spread the blanket out over her legs before nodding to himself. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Hey, Isaac?" She waited for him to meet her gaze before she said, "Be careful."
Thane breathed a sigh of relief, accepting the call the second he recognized the number. "Siha …."
"Hey," she said, a weary smile spreading over her face, she looked exhausted and pale, and he saw the signs of pain in the creases of her brow and corner of her eyes. She wore his shirt, and it still warmed his heart, gratifying some unnamable part of him to see her in something belonging to him.
He smiled, glancing towards Kolyat and Drali before turning his attention back to her. "Kolyat is here, and Drali, too. I can go somewhere more private, if you wish." He hoped she'd accept his offer, he wanted to know what happened, but of course she couldn't tell him in front of the other two.
Pursing her lips, she turned down the corners of her mouth and shook her head. "It's alright, I probably won't stay on long. I just wanted to check in with you, see how you're doing. Let you know I'm okay." Her choice of words were simple, but he knew she chose them specifically for the implications—her injuries weren't lethal, the danger passed, and she wanted him to stop worrying.
Drali stood, and before Thane could say anything, the man rounded the table and bent down behind him, looking over his shoulder at the screen. "You look terrible."
She snorted, wincing a little, hardly enough for anyone to notice if they weren't looking for it, but Thane did. She was in pain, and he loathed the fact. "Hello, Drali."
"What happened to you?" Drali asked, grinning wide enough for Thane to see out of the corner of his eye. "And what's this I hear about a man staying with you?"
Thane sighed, shaking his head. He shot Drali a chastising look, but the man didn't pay him any attention, so he turned his gaze back to the Jasmine. "My apologies, my brother forgets himself."
Jasmine's eyebrow twitched, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk. Her gaze—filled with the mischievous challenge he'd grown used to seeing in her eyes—remained steady on Drali. "Who says anything happened to me? Can't a girl just be tired?"
She was saved from whatever retort Drali undoubtedly prepared to deliver when Kolyat stood, easing into Thane's side to look at the screen. A bright smile lit her face, gaze locking onto the boy. "Kolyat, hey."
"Hello, Jasmine." Kolyat shifted a little closer. "I am sorry you do not feel well."
"I'll be alright, I just had a long day." She lifted her left shoulder in a shrug, shifting the view on her omni-tool briefly, and Thane could tell, even with her opposite shoulder being the one reported as injured, the gesture caused her pain. "I'm sure I'll feel better after a good night's sleep."
"It's not yet so late there, is it?" Drali asked with a hum.
Thane glanced at him, lifting a brow ridge, wishing his brother would stop antagonizing Jasmine when she didn't feel well. "Her work requires her to be up quite early."
Drali looked at Thane, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "I see." He turned his attention back to Jasmine and grinned. "Well, then, I hope you rest well tonight and look better tomorrow."
She huffed, rolling her eyes but smiled. "Thanks."
Kolyat chuckled, glancing at his uncle. "Uncle Drali, be nice."
"I am nice, I gave her flowers while she was here." Drali glanced at Kolyat. "You should know, human women like flowers as gifts, but they sniff them, so don't give them any 'dwindling day.'"
He gave his uncle a dubious look, raising one of his brow ridges while tugging the other down.
Thane chuckled, tuning his attention back to Jasmine. "Indeed. Her name comes from a flower found on Earth, though she is infinitely more beautiful," he said, remembering their conversation about the scented candle in her apartment back on the Citadel.
"Yes," Drali drawled, "but does she smell better?"
Jasmine snorted, the resulting wince more obvious.
"Ah," Drali said, undoubtedly catching her slip, "I do hope you feel better in the morning, Earth flower Jasmine." He stood upright. "Come, Kolyat, let your father have a moment alone with her before she goes to bed."
"I—I wanted to say something first," Kolyat said, turning his attention back to the screen. "I owe you an apology, Jasmine. I am afraid I did not handle myself appropriately the last time we spoke. I hope you can forgive me, and know I wish you well."
Thane reached out, pressing his palm to Kolyat's back in support. He smiled at his son, offering Kolyat what reassurance he could when Kolyat glanced down at him. Turning his attention back to Jasmine, Kolyat relaxed a little.
She smiled, eyes softening around the edges. "I wish you well, too, Kolyat, but I've already forgiven you."
He dipped his head, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips, relief evident in the drop of his shoulders. "Goodnight, Jasmine."
"Goodnight," she said.
Drali and Kolyat left, heading down the hall toward Kolyat's room. Thane watched them go before letting out a heavy sigh and turning his gaze back to her. Shoulders sagging a little, he allowed his face and body to convey the depth of his concern for her once they were without audience.
"I'm alright, Thane, really." Her voice came out soft and low, as if she intended to soothe him when she was the one injured. Who could expect anything different from a siha?
He leaned in a little closer, wishing it were so easy to truly close the space between them. Gaze roaming over her, he soaked in her presence, despite the distance. "Tell me, and I will leave here tonight. I can be on the Citadel by morning."
She smiled and shook her head. "As much as I'd love to have you here, you need to be there right now. Besides, you've taken a job, and it sounded really important to you. And, for all I know, when Isaac gets back, he's going to rush us out of here. I may not even be on the Citadel in the morning."
"He's not there with you now?" He raised a brow ridge. "Ares is there though, yes? You're not alone."
"Ares took off after I left the clinic." She shook her head. "Isaac needed to go try to find the OSD we were supposed to get as part of the job. It wasn't on the guy we thought had it, and Isaac was more concerned with getting me taken care of than finding it. His superiors insisted he go back out and find it today, though."
Grateful Isaac chose to get Jasmine help first, Thane didn't wish to complain about the man performing his duties once she was safe.
But is she safe?
He forced his features to still, choosing his next words carefully so as not to offend her. "Ares implied there may be more targets to be concerned about."
"If there are, and if they show up here, I'm still armed," she said, letting out a weary sigh, betraying the boldness of the statement.
"Siha." Thane frowned, he didn't like the idea of her being alone while injured, especially if there was even the smallest chance someone might come looking for her.
"Isaac will be back before you could make it here, anyway." She shifted on the couch, jaw clenching with the movement. "And when he is, I doubt I'll be able to convince him to leave my side. He's acting like an overprotective parent. Not that I'm complaining. Being shot sucks."
Realizing she was right, and perhaps he, too, behaved in an overprotective manner, he chuckled, dipping his head. "Indeed. The one who shot you, he is dead?"
Jasmine smirked, smugness hiding the pain in her eyes for just a moment. "With three of my bullets lodged in his face. And, I can now say I know what it feels like to get hit with a Reave."
"A Reave?" His brow ridge lifted. "He was biotic?" Indeed, it impressed him to know she'd survived such a close assault with a member of Blackwatch, but to hear she'd not only been the one to take the turian down but the target also commanded biotics … Thane felt proud.
"Yep." Gaze lowering, she seemed to consider something as she frowned. "Guess the Phantoms dropped the ball on that one, but Ares knew, so we had warning. Just didn't do me a whole lot of good one on one against the asshole."
He shifted, suddenly uncomfortable in his chair as he further considered just how easily she could've lost the fight. "And where was Ares and Isaac while you were fighting this man?"
"Taking care of others. He had backup, too." She pursed her lips. "Another thing the Phantoms failed to either be aware of or just inform us of. Things could've been much worse if I hadn't called in Ares."
Thane didn't understand how her people could be so ill-informed or simply fail to convey such vital details to their assassins. "I see." Still, if Ares' intel proved so valuable, perhaps Thane owed him a debt of gratitude.
"I wasn't supposed to take him on alone, but … sometimes things don't go as planned." She shifted again, squeezing her eyes closed and sucking in a sharp breath.
His fingers twitched, wanting to reach out to her, ease her suffering."Indeed." He frowned, watching her struggle from so far away frustrated him. He knew there wouldn't be much he could do for her even if he went there, but at least he could try. "Did the doctor not give you anything to help with the pain, siha?"
She met his gaze again, sadness and shame in her eyes. "I can't really … she gave me something when I first got to the clinic, but it was too much …" She swallowed, lowering her gaze. "... I liked it too much."
"Ah, of course." How foolish of him. "I didn't consider …." Even when she rescued him after he'd been stabbed on the Citadel and stayed with him at his apartment, she'd asked him to keep his medication out of sight.
She shrugged her left shoulder. "Isaac's going to bring me something to drink. It'll take the edge off."
He watched her, wishing he could run his hand over her face and smooth out the tight creases along her brow. "If there's anything I can do, you need only ask, siha."
She smiled. "I know. I'm going to get off of here and try to find a comfortable position. I love you."
"And I you." He hesitated, afraid to make his request least she take offense but eventually decided the peace of mind it'd bring him was worth her ire. "Please, message me when Isaac returns so I know you're not alone."
She snorted softly but didn't argue. "I will. Night."
"Goodnight, rest well." Thane closed his omni-tool when the screen went dark.
He put his face in the palms of his hands, taking in a slow, deep breath. The sound of a door opening drew his attention, and he looked up to see Drali watching him from the hallway, head tilted to the side. Thane clasped his hands together and smiled at his brother, nodding his head to tell Drali he'd finished his conversation.
Drali made his way down the hall and slid into his abandoned chair. Glancing over his shoulder towards Kolyat's room, he turned his attention back to Thane and leaned closer, voice pitched low, "Is she alright? It looked as if she's in pain."
Thane smiled, as much as Drali's lack of manners according to drell customs could be frustrating, the genuineness of his concern warmed Thane. "Indeed. She was injured, but she will be fine."
Drali hummed. "The look on your face when you received the message earlier tonight … the way you've looked all night since then … you didn't think she'd be fine, did you?"
"I—No. I suppose I didn't. The message I received came from her colleague, informing me of the accident, and he told me she'd be alright, but …." Thane waved a hand.
"But she is the first person you've allowed yourself to love since Irikah died. Hearing she'd been hurt, and with you so far away …." Drali propped his elbows on the table, glancing over his shoulder towards the room Kolyat had yet to leave. "I'm glad Jasmine is safe, Brother."
Thane dipped his head. "Indeed, and you have my thanks for keeping Kolyat occupied, both while I spoke to her and throughout the evening. I regret I wasn't able to be fully present with him, but with you here, he didn't seem to mind."
The sound of her door sliding open tore Jasmine from a light and fitful sleep. She reached over to the coffee table, picked up her pistol, and tried to push herself upright, choking back a pained gasp. After talking with Thane, every little noise she heard made her wonder if more Blackwatch members were coming after her. Even though she suspected it was only Isaac, she readied herself for an attack, flipping the safety off her gun.
"It's me, Sunshine, relax." Isaac's rich voice filled the air, easing the coiled knot of tension in the pit of her stomach.
She groaned, pushing the safety switch back into place and setting her gun back on the table before easing back against the pillows. "We're sticking with Sunshine?"
He rounded the back of the couch and smiled down at her. "I like it, I think it suits you, but if it bothers you," he said with a shrug, "I'll stop."
He tossed an OSD on her table then scooped a hand under her ankles, lifting her feet. Sliding onto the far end of the couch, he put her feet back down on his knee. She drew her legs back, giving him more room, and pushed herself up on the pillows a little. He held out a bottle, and though clearly marked rum, she'd never heard of the brand—which knowing Isaac, meant it cost more than she paid for a week's worth of food.
Speaking of food, she didn't even know the last time she ate. "I'm starving."
He grinned at her, standing back up from the couch and headed to her kitchen. Jasmine opened her omni-tool and sent Thane a quick message while Isaac distracted himself getting her food, letting Thane know she wasn't alone anymore. After a few minutes of rummaging around, Isaac returned with a sandwich, sliced risat, and a glass of iced tea. Setting the plate on the table, he helped her sit up further, adjusting the pillows behind her before handing her the plate and pulling the coffee table closer.
"Thanks." She took a long swallow of the tea before putting it back on the table and picked up the sandwich. "Where'd you find it?" she asked, nodding toward the OSD.
He sat back down and turned sideways, facing her. "C-Sec evidence. It was on Attis' body when they found him."
She snorted, annoyed by the revelation. She'd been the one to take down Attis, had been right there, if she'd stuck around, checked the body …. "Whatever connection you have in C-Sec is willing to just give you evidence?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not exactly."
"You snuck into C-Sec and stole it?" She lifted an eyebrow, taking a bite of the roast beef sandwich, one of the only true Earth foods found on the Citadel.
"I got it back," Isaac said, leaning over and snagging a piece of risat from her plate. "That's all that matters." He popped it in his mouth and grabbed another before sitting back again.
She grunted, biting into her sandwich, taking her time chewing and swallowing. "What'd you say to Garrus earlier? The C-Sec guy at the clinic."
Isaac let out a low, heavy sigh. "More than I probably should've. I told him we were working an undercover op, and because he decided to ignore his superiors' orders, people were hurt who didn't need to be, including you," he said, turning his head to look at her pointedly. "I called one of my contacts with him standing right there and asked them to remind their officer that he'd been ordered to stand down. Then, I told him if he didn't back off, or if he blew your cover, I'd be sure to fill C-Sec in on the full extent of his insubordination and what it cost."
"You think it really would've gone much different if he wasn't tailing you?" She didn't blame Garrus for her getting shot, though she'd admit he probably forced her hand in killing Attis. Setting her sandwich on the plate, she popped the lid on her top-shelf rum.
"I think Attis wouldn't have spotted me, giving you a reason to kill him, and I wouldn't have needed to ask you for a distraction, making Remitun detour. Simtumus probably only moved into play when Attis didn't check in, which put you in a position to be on the roof alone with Remitun." Isaac shrugged, running a hand over his head. "So, yeah. Something else might've gone wrong, but we didn't get the chance to play it out and see because Garrus interfered. But, I shouldn't have said anything to him. I wasn't in a good state of mind, and when he walked in, I thought he came there to give you more shit."
She snorted, taking a heavy drink from the bottle, lifting an eyebrow at how smooth it went down. "That the 'emotional detachment' you mentioned the other night?"
He chuckled, stealing another piece of fruit from her plate. "Yeah, maybe."
She hummed, taking another drink as she mulled over the thoughts brewing in the back of her mind the last few hours. "Isaac?"
"Hmm?" He tilted his head back against the couch as he chewed.
"Do you think they really didn't know Remitun was a biotic, or he wouldn't be alone?" She picked at the label with her thumbnail.
He stayed quiet for so long, she started to think she'd made a mistake even asking him. Finally, he let out a tired sounding breath and looked at her. "They didn't need to tell me he wouldn't be alone, everyone knew I'd already know. This isn't the first time I've dealt with Blackwatch." He shrugged, tugging at one of the small, gold hoops in his ears. "I didn't mention it to you because I wanted to see you and Nemos, how you'd work together, what information you'd come up with on your own. If he didn't say it, I would've." He turned his attention to the OSD on the table. "But … I don't see how they didn't know he was a biotic, it should've been in the dossier. It might've just been an oversight, though. Happens sometimes. I'd hoped Nemos was wrong about that one."
Jasmine sucked on her teeth, wishing she believed it something as simple and innocuous as an oversight. "They seemed to really want to pin things going sideways on me."
He looked at her, gaze intense as he pulled his eyebrows in. "You think they were trying to set you up?"
She shrugged her left shoulder, still it sent a twinge of pain through her right. "You heard The Bitch. Uh, I mean Langston."
He snorted, stretching out the leg hanging over the side of the couch. "Nah, 'The Bitch' is pretty apt."
"They're never going to be happy I'm not still locked up for killing Leon." She took a heavy swallow of rum, already feeling the warmth dulling the pain. "Maybe they didn't intentionally leave out intel, but …."
And maybe they did.
"But she would've been more than happy if I'd agreed and said you were to blame." He nodded, pursing his lips. "Listen, Jasmine," he said, sitting up straighter as he held her gaze, "what went down with Leon, in my eyes, it's not on you. It was my choice to take you on, and I wouldn't have if I thought for even a second your actions weren't justified." He shook his head and waved a hand at nothing in particular. "I'm not going to just throw you to the wolves. If they're looking for a reason to go after you, they're not going to get it from me. It's my job to protect you, to make sure while you're out there, you have everything you need to do your job and stay safe—not hang you out to dry. If that's what they want, what they expect from me, then they chose the wrong damn man."
"Yeah," she said, voice soft as she let her thoughts wander, trying to piece together shit in her mind.
"Hey," Isaac said, waiting for her to look at him again before he continued, "You did good, Jasmine. You were in a fucked position, and you still came out on top."
"If I'd been alone," she said, hating to admit the fact outloud, "I'd probably have bled out on the roof or been found by C-Sec, still alive but next to a dead body."
"If you were alone, you wouldn't have been on the roof. You probably wouldn't have been assigned someone in Blackwatch with more than a decade of experience on you, and had you, you probably would've kept your distance and taken him out with your rifle." He shook his head, stretching his arm out over the back of the couch. "Don't sell yourself short. The circumstances weren't ideal, but you took out two members of Blackwatch on your own. Hell, you should be proud. I am."
Heat crept up Jasmine's throat and face, but she blamed it on the alcohol. "Thanks." She took another swallow before returning to her plate. "So what now?"
"Now we wait for the clean up team. They'll take care of what C-Sec found, get rid of what they didn't, and tell me where to meet them to deliver the OSD." He glanced at her again. "Then, I'm getting you off the Citadel until you've recovered."
She snorted, expecting as much. "Where am I going?"
"Ferris Fields," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why Ferris Fields?"
"I've got another operative there, a long-term, espionage specialist. I check in on him periodically, and it'll be a good place for you to rest." He smiled, stealing more risat from her plate, convincing her that he'd really put it there for himself to begin with. "I'll have him teach you a few things while you're down."
She bit back the urge to tell him that Leon did his best to keep her separate from the other Phantoms, for everyone's protection. If Isaac wanted to have her chill with another operative, who was she to argue? "Huh. Never been to Ferris Fields."
