I do not own Mass Effect or any of the characters.


Scared

David stirred, smiling as he felt Jack shift in his arms. He smiled, holding her a little tighter, feeling her do the same. Memories of the night before began to filter into his mind. They'd ended up spending half the night kissing, though when Jack tried to take it further he'd stopped her. He knew how she felt about sex, and he also knew how new she was to letting herself feel anything. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go that far yet, and besides that, he wanted their first time to be more special than in the dark underside of Engineering just because. Jack had accepted his reasoning, though she hadn't been entirely impressed by it, and they'd spent a few more hours kissing before falling asleep together.

"It's kind of nice waking up like this," Jack said quietly, snuggling closer.

"Yes it is," David agreed. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have for a while," Jack said. "Which is impressive given how few hours I got."

David chuckled. "I should go get cleaned up for the day."

"Want me to join you?" Jack asked, pressing a leg between his, making hi suck in a breath.

"More than you realize," David said. "But for the time being, my mind hasn't changed. For now, you'd better just use the girls' shower."

Jack sighed, reaching up and kissing him, remaining there for a few minutes before David pulled back and stood. He grabbed some clean clothes and turned to walk to the stairs as Jack sat up.

"David," Jack said, frowning. "Um...can we...I mean..."

"If you want to keep it between us, we can," David said. "It's none of their business anyway."

Jack smiled. "Thank you. I'm not ashamed or anything. I just...I'm not ready for everyone to know. I...I've never let anyone in before. Part of me is still scared that either you'll hurt me or someone will use you too."

David smiled, walking back over and kneeling in front of her, setting his clothes down and cupping her face. "I promise you, I will never hurt you. And I'm not going to let anyone else do it either, even by using me."

Jack smiled and nodded, kissing him for a few seconds before pulling away. "Alight, go take a shower before I decide to follow you."

David smiled, kissing her on the forehead before picking up his clothes and heading up the stairs to the male bathroom, taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth and shaving before heading back down to Engineering. He froze as he arrived, however, seeing Jack lying on the bench completely naked. She looked over at him and gave him a Cheshire smile, rolling onto her side and propping her head up on one arm.

"Welcome back," Jack smiled.

David swallowed hard, trying to force the blush out of his face. "Why are you naked?"

"I washed my clothes but they're still drying," Jack said. "Why? Were you hoping for another reason?"

"You're really planning on making it damn-near impossible for me to wait, aren't you?" David asked.

"Only until you figure out how stupid you're being," Jack said. "It's just sex. You're acting like it's marriage or something."

David sighed. "And that's exactly why I'm waiting."

Jack's brow furrowed in confusion. "What, for marriage?"

"No," David said. "Sex doesn't mean anything to you. I'm waiting until you realize it's not just a fun pastime."

Jack rolled her eyes. "You're going to be waiting for a while, then."

"I have plenty of time," David said. "In the mean time, I'm going to go make the rest of the guns in the locker work without thermal clips. We had a problem with that last mission that I'd like to not repeat."

Jack nodded and David left, sighing in relief once he was I the elevator, adjusting himself so it wouldn't be as uncomfortable. He probably would be waiting for a while. But that was fine. He would wait as long as it took. He reached the armory and began to work on Tali's shotgun. Just as he finished and went to put it away, EDI called him to the AI core. He headed down to it, and as he walked in, the small ball on a stick that was EDI's synthetic display appeared on a projector on his left.

"I would like your help finishing the IFF's installation, and then testing it while Commander Shepard and the others take the shuttle for a mission," EDI said. "You can use the computer on your right."

"Sure," David said. "Go ahead and send Shepard and the others. I'll have it installed in a couple minutes."

"That is unlikely," EDI said. "It is a very complex data package. I have been having trouble getting it to work with our systems."

"EDI, it's me," David said. "I've got this."

"Very well," EDI said. "Let me know when you have finished the installation."

"Will do," David said, beginning to type on the computer.

After about five minutes, EDI's head reappeared, telling David that Shepard and the others were gone. At the same time, David finished installing the IFF.

"It's all set up," David said. "I'll head up to the cockpit now."

"Very well," EDI said. "I will begin testing the IFF."

David walked out of the AI core and through the Medical Bay, then over to the elevator. However, when he hit the button, nothing happened. He frowned, hitting it again. Nothing. "EDI, the elevator's not working."

Just then, an alarm began to blare. David swore.

"What's going on?" he called out.

"The IFF had a virus encoded into it," EDI said. "It has disabled our propulsion systems and it broadcasted our signal to the Collector Ship. We are being boarded. They are on the elevator."

David swore, ducking into the bathroom and hiding in a stall. He swore repeatedly. He should have double-checked. It would have taken an extra hour, but at least this wouldn't have happened. He should help. He shouldn't be cowering in a toilet stall. After a moment, he took a deep breath and activated his Tech armor, standing and moving to the door.

"Don't open the door," EDI warned, a second too late.

The door hissed and opened, a Scion turning toward David. It roared and David shrieked in surprise and fear, arms snapping up just as the Scion's cannon went off, a half-dozen plasma explosions slamming into the biotic barrier David had formed.

"David, are you alright?" EDI asked.

"I can't hold this barrier forever!" David shouted, just as the Scion blasted the barrier with another half-dozen explosions. "Save me! Please!"

"I have regained control of the Normandy's defensive systems," EDI said. "If you can hold that barrier for several more minutes, I will be able to kill all of the collectors."

"Several minutes!?" David gaped, just as another wave of explosions blasted the barrier. "I can't!"

Several Collectors arrived, opening fire on the barrier and David shouted in alarm, then in pain as his head throbbed agonizingly. His body began to feel heavy and his vision began to darken. He clenched his teeth, forcing more power to the barrier, just in time to block another wave of explosions.

"Thirty seconds," EDI said.

"E...EDI..." David panted, falling to the ground as his barrier bent back, forming a small bubble over him. "I...can't..."

Suddenly, the ship lurched as it accelerated and all of the Collectors were suddenly sucked away from the bathroom, the door of which shut instantly.

"You may lower your barrier now," EDI said, David doing exactly that. "I am venting air into the room. In a few moments, I will repressurize the rest of the ship."

"S...Send...Joker," David said, voice barely a whisper as his body shut down quickly. "A...drena…line."


David groaned, sitting up and holding a hand to his head, Joker helping steady him.

"You okay?" Joker asked.

"Did anyone else make it?" David asked.

"Just us," Joker said. "I went crawling through vents to unshackle EDI so she could purge the ship, but by then the only other person still on the ship was you. EDI said she managed to seal the bathroom before it was fully vented. She told me to inject you with adrenaline."

David nodded, standing and looking around, realizing they were still in the bathroom. He groaned as his head spun suddenly and dropped beside the toilet, vomiting into it. After a couple minutes, he flushed it and moved to the sink, using his omni-tool to fabricate a toothbrush and toothpaste, beginning to brush his teeth.

"Wow," Joker said. "I've never seen an omni-tool do that before. Just how much did you modify that thing?"

"A lot," David said around his toothbrush, finishing brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth before throwing the toothbrush into a garbage chute. "How long until the others get back?"

"About twenty minutes," Joker said.

David nodded and they both headed to the crew deck, David dropping heavily onto one of the seats groaning. About twenty minutes later, the elevator opened and most of the others walked into view, Jack sprinting over to David as he stood. She threw her arms around him instantly, sobbing and clinging to him. He hugged her back, his own body still trembling from both exhaustion and fried nerves.

"I thought I lost you!" Jack chocked out.

"I'm still here," David said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jack reached up, kissing him, not caring that everyone else was in the room. He kissed her back, holding her tightly and feeling her respond in kind. Finally she pulled away, gasping in a shaky breath.

"I love you," Jack said, tears streaming down her cheeks again. "I love you!"

"I love you too," David smiled, kissing her again. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jack nodded, hugging him again and continuing to cry. He gently guided her to the elevator and down to their spot in engineering so she could have some privacy. He sat on the bench, holding Jack in his lap as she sobbed, clinging to him. He gently trailed a hand up and down her back comfortingly. It was almost surreal to have Jack, the strongest person he knew, crying, and he, the weakest he knew, be the one comforting her. He gently kissed the top of her head, reassuring her that she wouldn't lose him. Finally, after nearly thirty minutes she began to calm. She reached up, wiping her eyes, and sat up, taking a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," Jack said. "I'm acting like such a pussy."

"You're acting like a human who was afraid she'd lost someone important to her," David said. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Jack smiled, kissing him. David instantly noticed something was different. Normally, when she kissed him there was a certain charge to it. Like an undercurrent of desire. This time, however, from the moment their lips met, he was overwhelmed by the need he could feel in her kiss. It was in the way she held his face tightly, the way her lips moved against his, not even separating for breath, the way her tongue moved against his after a few moments. He could feel it in the way she was still trembling slightly, and the way her breathing was both heavy from kissing him, and shaky from being close to tears. Finally, David pulled away, seeing the way the muscles in Jack's jaw tightened as she clenched her teeth to keep herself calm without being able to distract herself from her emotions by kissing him. He reached up, gently wiping the mascara lines from her cheeks, smiling.

"You know, I never would have expected you to say it first," David smiled.

Jack let out something between a laugh and a sob, barely catching herself. "I know. You've turned me into such a pussy."

David smiled, kissing her for a moment. "I love you, Jack."

"I...I love you too," Jack said, resting her forehead against his. "I'm sorry for what I said."

David frowned before realizing what she meant. "You're still thinking about that? Jack, I don't care about any of that anymore."

"I do," Jack said. "I hurt you. I would do anything to be able to take it back."

David was silent for a moment before smiling. "Alright, then go on a date with me."

"What?" Jack asked, brow furrowing.

"Go on a date with me," David said. "Go out in public and act like a couple with me."

Jack's eyes widened before she sighed, smiling. "I know I said I'd do anything, but..."

"Ouch," David smiled, ignoring the flash of doubt in his brain.

Jack's face split into a smile. "I think I can manage one date. Maybe I'll even be able to get laid at the end of it."

"Don't get your hopes up," David smirked, giving her a quick kiss.

Jack smiled before it faded slightly. "There's...something I want to tell you about. I don't talk about this. Even more so than everything else. You're...not the first person to want to get close. Or to succeed. You are the first person I've...I love you. I just..."

"Jack, it's alright," David said. "You can tell me anything. I'll understand."

Jack nodded, swallowing hard. "There was a guy a long time ago. Murtock. He used me like everyone else...for sex, for biotics...it was fun. Then, on a job, we tagged a weapons frigate with a Batarian escort and got separated. He had a choice. Leave with the guns, or come back for me." He voice turned a little harsh, like it always did when she was trying to hide her feelings. "Idiot dumped the score and waded into the squints. I made the shuttle, but no way he was getting out. So, I left. I flew for a day or so and the shuttle kicked out this recording. He set it to play if he hadn't checked in. He figured that would mean he was dead." Her eyes began to water and her voice became strained, her breathing raspier as she fought of the urge to cry. "He talked about the future we were supposed to have. How he had planned to set us up a home. How he...How he loved me and he was sorry it wasn't going to happen. When I heard that, I realized that I'd fucked up. I let him too close. I...I forced myself to think he was an idiot, and it had all been just fun." She swallowed hard again. "I don't...I never...I love you, now and-"

David kissed her, stopping her from trying to explain herself. "If he was here, would you choose him over me?"

"What?" Jack asked. "No! I love you!"

"Then I don't mind that you had feelings for someone," David said. "The past is the past. I told you, I'll listen to anything you need to talk about, or anything you want to talk about."

"I don't want to talk about that," Jack said. "I just...I don't want there to be secrets between us. I...I didn't want it to feel like a lie anymore when I say that you're the first person I've ever had feelings for."

David smiled. "I don't care if I'm the first or not, as long as I'm the one you care about now."

Jack nodded, her tears beginning to fall again. "You're such an idiot. You have to be to fall for someone as fucked up as me."

David smiled, kissing her. "If you're broken, I'll be the one to pick up the pieces and put you back together."

Jack gasped, her tears falling faster. "You...You're an idiot!"

David was about to ask her what he'd said wrong when she kissed him, seeming more desperate than before. He kissed her back, feeling her beginning to cry again as she kissed him, except, it was different this time. He got the feeling that she was happy. After a while, she finally pulled back, wiping her face and resting her head on his shoulder. David held her securely in his arms and she took a shaky breath before reaching down and picking up a datapad.

"Sorry about that," Jack said. "What you said just...it struck a little close to home. Here." She pulled back and handed him the datapad.

He accepted it, seeing it was on the extranet and was displaying a poem, one which was short but had the words, "If you're broken, I'll be there to pick up the pieces" as the begging two lines and ending lines. He was about to ask why it struck close to home when he saw the author's penname. Jacqueline Nought. Jack Zero, if the words were swapped out for a nickname and a synonym. A grin split his face.

"You write poetry?" He asked.

She took the datapad back, scowling at him. "That's the first thing you have to say?"

"What were you expecting?" David asked.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I've only written a couple. It was a phase. It...seemed to help...for a bit."

David smiled, nodding. "It's really good."

Jack snorted, shoving him lightly. "No it isn't."

"It is," David smiled.

Jack smiled, leaning in again and kissing him. it was calmer this time, but David could still feel Jack's need to be close to him through it, and tried to match it with his own. However, after a moment, he pulled away as his omni-tool beeped.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"I set it to alert me if someone got close to us, that way we'd have time to separate if you wanted to," David said.

"No," Jack said, resting her forehead against his. "I don't care if they know. I mean, I said I love you in front of them, and we are going on a date soon."

"True," David smiled, glancing at his omni-tool before grinning. "It's alright, though. Shepard's not visiting us."

Jack's brow furrowed before her eyes widened and she grinned. David activated the voice enhancer and they both listened with wide grins.

"I don't know if I could stand being stuck in a suit my whole life," Shepard was saying.

"We're in our suits even among family," Tali said. "The most intimate thing we can do with another Quarian is link our suits' environments."

"They know they can grind through clothes, right?" Jack asked, David pinching her. "Ow! Don't pinch me! Unless it's somewhere fun, in which case ribs are off limits. I can suggest a place nearby to try though."

"Sh," David said. "I wanna eavesdrop on our Commander and his awkward girlfriend."

Jack snorted. "Fair enough."

"I haven't trusted anyone enough for that, though," Tali was saying. "Except...well, no Quarians. Um. You know what I mean."

"I appreciate the thought, Tali, and I want you to know that I feel the same way," Shepard said. "But you don't have to prove anything to me."

"I know, w-well, not that I know, but..." Tali hastily corrected herself. "I-I didn't mean it like that. It's, uh, um...wow, it's really hot in here."

Jack and David both laughed.

"She's adorable," Jack laughed. "She's like a schoolgirl."

"It's just that the tradition also signifies a willingness for, uh-um...intimacy," Tali word-vomited. "I-I wasn't trying to...It's not always like that. It's more...how did we even end up talking about this?"

"Wait a minute, it sounds like you're suggesting something, Tali," Shepard teased.

"What could I possibly be suggesting?" Tali asked, apparently more calm when being sarcastic. "I mean a young woman gets rescued by a dashing commander who lets her join his crew and then goes off to save the galaxy? How could she possibly develop any kind of interest in him?"

"Wow, not even a stutter," David said. "I'm kind of proud."

"You realize we're eavesdropping like high school gossip girls, right?" Jack asked.

"No," David said. "We're eavesdropping like extremely high-tech high school gossip girls. We have standards."

Jack snorted.

"Well that's too bad," Shepard sighed. "And here I was hoping she felt the same way I did."

"Really!?" Tali gasped. "I didn't...you never...well...good. A-Anyway, I should get back to work. But...thanks. For coming by. And talking."

David waited patiently, but apparently that was the end of the conversation because Shepard began to walk away. David deactivated his omni-tool and sighed. "That went better than I expected."

"I was about to yell up through the floor that she wanted his dick when she started stammering," Jack smirked.

David laughed, just before Shepard walked down the stairs and into view. "Oh hey. What's up?"

"Just checking in," Shepard said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm better," David said. "Give me a day or so of rest and I'll be ready for whatever. Especially if it involves going to save our crew."

Shepard nodded. "We'll be docking at Omega for two days. We need get some upgrades done and the parts and labor are there. After that, we're going through the relay. Hopefully before it's too late."

David nodded. "Alright. That'll give me tie to take care of some personal stuff, too."

"Is it serious?" Shepard asked. "If you need any help-"

"No, no," David chuckled. "It's not a mission. Just something I want to do before we go through the Omega Four relay."

Shepard nodded. "Alright. We'll be at Omega in about an hour."

"Thanks," David said.

Shepard walked away, and Jack sighed, kissing him again.

"I should go see if Kasumi has any dresses I can borrow," Jack said. "The only decent place to go for a date on Omega is Afterlife."

"True," David nodded. "I'll get cleaned up as well and meet you at the port."

"Why not here?" Jack asked.

"I'm probably going to take more than an hour," David said.

"What are you planning to do, shave your balls?" Jack laughed.

"No way!" David snorted. "I have a laser in my omni-tool that'll do a better job without razor burn."

"Wait, what?" Jack asked. "No fucking way! You're totally messing with me!"

David chuckled, grabbing his duffel bag, which had the suit he'd stolen when he and Jentha had fled through Afterlife so long ago, then raised a hand to Jack as he walked toward the stairs.


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