Two days after Jane had seen the footage retrieved off Aeia she found herself in her quarters going over different leads given to her by Liara and Miranda. Lanaya had been moved into her room and was currently curled up on the bed happily chirping and clicking to herself. One of the things they needed to pick up where ever they decided to go next would have to be a cot and some baby supplies. Truthfully though Jane had been going over the thought in her head if it was the responsible thing to do having Lanaya on the Normandy while they tracked down Simon Ettlemen. After much consideration she reasoned that she didn't trust her safety anywhere else but directly by her side or surrounded by the people who would be willing to risk their lives for her. Lanayas heritage put her at great risk, Ettlemen could have operatives out looking for her as leverage against Shepard or purely for scientific studies. Brushing the thoughts aside her mind wondered to her progress in regaining her memories, which had come along a fair bit since she first boarded the Normandy. She was now fairly confident who everyone was but couldn't recall why she knew them, she also had researched the Collectors and Reapers. When watching the recordings on the base her memory supplied, at the most inconvenient of time, the knowledge of her enemy and she would have been floored at all the endless information that she was receiving, if she hadn't already been engrossed in the footage. So now the thought that she had been implanted with reaper parts during her resurrection a few years back deeply disturbed her. The concern only being quelled by the knowledge those implants were no longer present and also overshadowed by the mere fact she'd been dead for two years in the first place. Pushing her musings to the back of her mind she crawled onto the bed and settled herself by Lanaya who trilled happily when her blue eyes settled on her mother's. Janes smiled at her lovingly, leaning down and placing her forehead against her daughters. It hadn't taken long to acclimatise to the idea she was Lanaya's real mother, she had already been responsible for the well-being of the child before she knew she was of her blood. What was taking its time for her to acclimatise to was Lanaya's father, Jane groaned and lolled her head into the bed. Garrus had given her space but it was evident whenever they were near each other he wanted more, the intensity in his eyes always made her skin go warm and stomach flutter. She needed time to grow accustomed to everything going on in her life, the only real memories she had was that of Kai Leng when they were younger and getting into trouble on the streets of Earth. She felt something for Garrus which alarmed her as far as she was concerned she'd only known him for four days, yes she'd have the occasional elicit memory of him that would get her hot and bothered but nothing that should make her have feelings. That brought her mind to Kai Leng, she did have feelings for him but most of them were unpleasant now. She had trusted him, cared for him when she thought he was her husband and cared for him when they were teenagers. Now that had all changed, he had killed tried to kill her in her previous life, successfully killed one of her friends and tried to sabotage her mission to stop the Reapers at every turn all because he was following orders. He'd wiped her memory and manipulated her, hell you could say he'd raped her seeing as she was drugged and didn't really know her real feelings on the man. His 'love' for her was nothing but a sick twisted obsession of a mentally unstable man who was trying his hardest to recreate the past.
Lanayas sad rumble followed by a very human infant cry made Jane sit up and forget her thoughts. Bringing the girl into her arms she stood elegantly and made her way over to the lift outside her room,
"You hungry Lana?" She cooed and booped her nose affectionately. Lanaya had received a full medical on the Normandy performed by Doctor Chakwas and Liara. They said the girls Biology was mainly centred around humans but her outward appearance was of of a Turian physiology . IE, Lanaya had the organs of a human except her vocal cords were a strange mix of both, and she also had a gizzard like a Turian. She was lucky enough to be able to process both dextro and levo foods and get nutritional value from both, but she seemed to favour human baby formula for her milk. Sharpe teeth had began forming had according to Chakwas she'd be able to start eating a selection of meats soon to keep up with her Turian heritage.
When the lift opened she came round the corner into the mess hall, it was afternoon so there were a few people present. Wrex and Grunt were eating some form of meat and laughing loudly, Samarra was sitting with EDI the later enjoying coming down for lunch to watch organic interaction and to bring Joker some food. Miranda popped out of Liara's room and quickly made two plates of food before departing swiftly, avoiding Shepard's piercing gaze. Jane smiled at the sight of her crew members and was happy she'd taken the time to speak to them all again, giving her thanks for their rescue and subsequent assistance on her mission.
"I thought she'd be getting hungry about now." Jack's warm voice brought Janes eyes over to her at the kitchen counter. She had one of Lanaya's bottles prepped already and was shaking it,
"Wow, picked up on her routine quick?" Jane mused a bit dazed by the woman who looked far from motherly but had been invaluable in Lanayas care since they'd boarded. Jack hummed in agreement as she changed the lid of the bottle to one with more of a funnel to tunnel the milk further down the young Turians throat.
"I'm a fast learner, I did watch her for the best part of three days." Jack shrugged as she mumbled, instead of handing the bottle to Jane she indicated for Jane to give her Lanaya, when the she had the bundle in the crook of her arm she went over to the mess table and sat herself by Wrex, who looked down at the bundle in an oddly affectionate way for a Krogan. Jane smiled at the image as Kaidan joined her at the counter,
"Coffe Shep?" he offered, she smiled her thanks as she accepted his offer still watching the scene in front of her. He noticed her gaze and followed out, "It's nice to see, to be honest with you never thought I'd survive the Reaper war, let alone all of us…well, almost all of us." He spoke softly. Pouring milk into the coffee and two sugars in one before stirring and sliding her the cup across the counter. "Two sugars if I remember correctly." He mumbled with a quirk at the corner of his lips in a friendly smile. Jane frowned in contemplation as she sipped the hot drink and hummed in approval,
"I can't say I honestly remember, but it tastes good so I'm assuming your right." She confessed and they both chuckled at that before falling into a companionable silence. "It's strange, I know in my heart the past few years have been hell. But I feel like I'm missing out on this, like I have these feelings, I know I care for you all and would defend you with my life yet I don't understand why." She whispered and Kaidan took a sip of his coffee in thought,
"Well, we've all been through hell together Jane. We've had your back and you've had ours. These people here, they're the finest bunch in the galaxy. Yet none of us would have been friends outside of here if it hadn't been for you. We've got an Admiral of the Quarian fleet who's best friend is a master thief and will occasionally play card games with an ex merc." He laughed a deep sound which Shepard enjoyed. "Dam you've got Wrex who's like a Krogan king or something, who's cooing over a baby in Jacks arms, a woman that's shown to be the most maternal woman I've known yet when I first met her she was a crazy, psychotic and blood thirsty bitch. Heard you helped her blow up an entire Cerberus base." They fell into a silence again and Kaidan snorted in thought, Jane noticed how his eyes seemed to linger on Jack longer than necessary which Jane found intriguing.
Wrapping her hands around her cup she took another sip of the bittersweet drink, "I just wish I remembered it." She said quietly and Kaidan gave her a sympathetic look before knocking her shoulder with his in a friendly manner.
"Hey, cheer up skipper. It'll come to you, Karen said you're just riding out the effects of the drugs after that its just a waiting game." He reassured with a handsome smile and Jane returned the gesture.
"Williams what happened to her? I had a memory not long ago and she called me Skipper." She asked and regretted asking as soon as Kaidans face fell. She frowned at him "Oh, I guess there's some memories that I won't particularly want to remember." She whispered looking down into her drink. Kaidan sighed deeply before finishing his beverage and placing the cup in the sink,
"Shep, that memory is going to be a hard one. But it'll be worth remembering if not for all the fun times we had of Ash." He let out a huffy breath on a chuckle "For instance when she first joined the crew she was a bit xenophobic and was always giving Garrus shit. Finally he had enough and insisted on sparing." He began his story and Jane turned to him in interest, "Anyway he had been the hand-to-hand specialist on a vessel he was stationed on when he was in the Turain military and had Ash pinned to the floor in the first few moments."
Jane snickered, "What did ash do?" she asked with genuine interest. Kaidan folded his arms over his broad chest as his eyes got a far away look, lost in the memory,
"She asked for another round and when Garrus said no she grabbed the back of his fringe. Which is extremely sensitive on a Turian and from what Garrus has told me, female and males on Turian vessels would often spar as foreplay." Kaidan uttered quietly and Jane let out a loud laugh which caused everyone to look their way. She covered her mouth and shook her head in disbelief.
"Did Garrus think she was coming on to him?" she breathed out incredulously and Kaidan chuckled at that before taking her empty cup and washing it with his quickly.
"No, luckily Garrus knew it was cultural ignorance on Ash's part but he didn't let her know that. He got in real close next to her ear and told her that if he had known that was why she was being so hostile he would have been willing to take one for the team a long time ago. Then invited her into the Mako for another 'spar match' Ash looked so bug eyed and embarrassed that she stormed away. After that she never harassed them again, she even started bantering a little with the others."
When his story had finished Jane was left chuckling before Kaidan excused himself and sat himself by Jack who smiled up at him fondly and leaned her body towards his and familiar manner. Jane chewed on her lips in thought and wondered if there was something brewing up between the two and filed the information away from later, letting her feet take her to where her next stop would be. She found herself heading to the main battery and braced herself, well aware what man was situated in there. The doors hissed open and she was momentarily stunned when she couldn't see him standing at his console, she frowned and turned to leave,
"I'm at the back!" he called and she looked over but couldn't see him. Following where his voice had originated from she found him on his back tugging at some wires in some pipes above him. She cocked her head to the side silently asking him a question. "Shepard. I had these guns calibrated to perfection. The Alliance gets their hands on her and does some 'repairs' and took away 15 percent of her power by adding pointless safety measures and lots off useless cables." He growled at the end in annoyance and Jane decided to lay beside him and look at what he was doing. He stilled for a moment at her proximity before carrying on, trying multiple times to pull a wire out of his line of sight which kept falling back so she pulled it away for him as he continued working. Muttering his thanks he carried on "Lanaya with Jack again?" He asked conversationally.
"Yep, and Kaidan." Jane uttered quietly and Garrus sent her a quizzical look,
"Strange, never thought Kaidan as the baby type." Garrus mumbled thoughtfully before snorting in amusement "Though truthfully I suppose I also never thought in a million years that I would watch Jack sing my child to sleep."
Jane chuckled at that as he grabbed her other hand and made her pull another wire out of the way. She found herself comfortable despite her closeness and was missing whatever it was they'd had, the atmosphere around them usually was tense giving all that had happened but currently she found they were both relaxed. "So Kaidan and Jack? Think somethings going on there?" Jane whispered conspiratorially and Garrus turned his head to her his mandibles slack in thought, he hummed and his flanging voice washed over her making her heart pick up.
"Hmmmm, It would explain the smells I keep picking off them when they're together." He stated simply and Janes eyes darted to his in alarm, "What?" he asked casually at her wide eyes expression,
"You can smell when someone is, um, well, aroused." She asked her words quiet as she felt her face heating up. Garrus turned to her and stopped what he was doing before smirking, he leaned in slightly letting a small growl pass through his vocals. Jane felt warmth immediately begin to pool in between her legs as her cheeks began to flush,
"Yes Jane." He said simply. He stopped a few centimetres away from her face and she thought for a moment he would kiss her; did he know how to kiss like a human? She thought. She felt her pulse pick up and her stomach doing summersaults as she went to close her eyes in anticipation. He breathed in deeply and his growling got louder before he abruptly let out a husky chuckle and pulled away, "I can smell your want now." He whispered his voice sounding strained as he carried on working.
Jane laid there for a moment feeling more than a little dazed before glowering at him in irritation, "What was that?" she snapped and slapped his arm, it having little effect on the plates there and for once she noticed that he wasn't in his armour and was wearing black loose fitting clothes. She tried to calm her breathing back to normal but found herself aching between her legs and unsatisfied.
"You want to take things slow, so here I am doing what you asked." He explained lamely sending her a smug smile. "So other than coming here to hear my voice and admire my good looks, how can I assist you?" he asked back to business again and leaving her hormonal body raging.
"by finishing what you started." She sulked barely above a whisper but hearing Garrus snort made her blush again.
"Turian hearing is better than Humans as well." He explained and she groaned before rubbing her face in her hands.
"Right, that's great." She said in annoyance. "Anyway I've decided to take us to that lead Liara gave me, it suggests that Doctor Ettlemen is receiving supplies from an Eclipse smuggling ring." Jane began her voice becoming strong again.
Garrus hummed in thought and flicked his eyes briefly to hers, "We shut down an eclipse smuggling ring back when we were working with the Illusive man, not overly surprised Ettlemen has come to an agreement with them. Wonder if its the same one." He said thoughtfully. He had finished what he was doing and pushed the panel back on, Jane automatically held it still for him as he began to screw the bolts back in place. When he was stood he looked back down to her and pulled her up, leaving his hand in hers, "Do you want me to have your six?" he asked and Jane felt the words echo around her brain with familiarity. She smirked at him before placing both her hands onto his chest, she could play his game if he really wanted to and she would have fun doing so. She could see his cot behind him and pressed her body up against his alien form, his hard edges didn't stop them from seeming to fit together perfectly.
"Jane…"He mumbled unsure as his voice wavered and she shoved him back till he sat, or rather fell to seat on top of his cot. He grunted when he did so, she didn't give him a moment of reprieve before she straddled his lap and placed her hands into his cowl slowly sliding her fingers up the unarmoured skin. Trying to ignore the way his body vibrated against hers pleasantly as he began to growl his enthusiasm.
"I was thinking that…" She breathed against his neck and couldn't help but nuzzle her face into the warm skin there. She dug her nails in slightly and felt the ache warm between her legs as he groaned deeply and gripped her hips tightly,
"What were you thinking?" he whispered horseley and nipped her neck before licking his long tongue leisurely up to her ear. She couldn't help the moan that fell from her lips and grinded down on his hips, causing him to let out a strangled gasp before growling louder and suddenly standing up. Guiding her legs to grip around his slender waist he supported her weight by cupping her thighs. Jane momentarily forgot what she was supposed to be doing when he quickly marched over to the console and settled her on top, spreading her legs wider and nestling himself between them. She heaved in a breath and smiled before biting down hard on his neck, he groaned heatedly lifting up her top to trail his talons across her lower back. She pulled back abruptly when she began to feel something hard pressing through the fabric of his pants and into her thigh. Giving him a sultry look she moved so her lips were almost against his mouth,
"I was thinking…You should get ready, I want you at my six." She breathed against his plates. Before he fully registered what she'd said she had got off the console and straightened her outfit, sending him a wink at his bewildered face before swiftly exiting. She'd go bother joker to calm her roaring libido.