Interlude Two: Miranda Lawson

"Thanks again, Shepard. Taking the time to help me with my sister … I couldn't have reached Oriana in time without your help."

She rose from her behind her desk and walked towards the window, the endless bounds of space shooting past as she sat in a chair.

"I'm glad Nicket tried to redeem himself … for what good it did. Thank you for stopping me, Commander"

She rose and walked towards him.

"The mission is too important to let personal feelings interfere. But thank you, Commander. My sister is safe again, thanks in large part to you. I won't forget that."

—

"Wait a minute, are you jealous?"

She spun to face him, her raised eyebrow sure to send shivers down the spines of lesser men.

"Don't be absurd." She scoffed at his suggestion.

"The genetic mutt that the Illusive Man put in charge. Man, that must sting."

She pushed into his personal space, not asking for permission, but demanding his attention. As if he could focus on anything else in that moment.

"First, it's not a competition. Second, based on your combat records, you're practically a perfect bloody human specimen." She lent back, the tell-tale leaning of weight on her back leg a characteristic Lawsonism that Shepard had seen many times before, and would see many times again.

"Perfect human specimen, huh?"

"Don't get cocky. I'm the one who put you back together, remember? And I do damn good work."

She stepped closer.

"You certainly do."

He stepped closer.

Neither knew who made the first move, but before rational thought could interrupt lips clashed together in a crash of tongue and teeth, the need for the feel of skin on skin.

It was, unsurprisingly, Miranda's train of thought that caught up first.

"What the hell was that?"

They both stepped away from the other, the tension practically crackling in the air between them.

"Okay, this doesn't mean anything. We just … God, I need to think. I need … I'll talk to you later."

She brushed past him, returning to her desk, before turning to throw him one last look over her shoulder.

"And stop smiling, damn it!"

—

"I wondered when you'd come back. Listen, whatever happened was a simple mistake, nothing more." She rose as if to leave before turning and leaning on the back of her chair, "I don't know what this is! If this is stress, or just blowing off steam or …"

"What are you so afraid of? That you might actually start caring for somebody?"

"This is no time for emotional entanglement! You and I know more about the Collectors than anyone. We know how unlikely it is that we're coming back alive! What idiotic bunch of hormones thought that now was a great time for love?"

"Who said anything about love? I'm just trying to get you into bed."

"You ass…"

"Come on, Miranda. You know you want this."

"I do…"

—

"Oh, pardon me, Commander." She stopped his determined progress with a palm to his chest. "I've cleared the engine room. Be there in five minutes."

"Should've known you wouldn't settle for the captains quarters."

"I settle for nothing but the best."

—

"Shepard, am I still part of your plan? It's been so long, I wasn't sure where we stood."

He took her hands in his.

"Miranda, things are never gonna be easy for us. But I'll always want you in my life."

"No second thoughts? This is your chance to back out."

"None. Be careful."

"No promises."

—

"Okay. Be careful."

"I can't promise that. Shepard. Could you?"

"No. I couldn't."

—

"Shepard, promise me you'll be careful."

Their embrace was quick but meaningful.

"I can't do that, Miranda."

"I know."

—

"Shepard, good to see you. Hope you don't mind me crashing this little party of yours."

"Not at all. Feeling better?"

"Much. Got a few sideways looks from Alliance Brass when I offered to help, but they can't be choosy at this point."

"I'm glad you made it."

"Shepard, I - I wanted to say goodbye."

"What do you mean?"

"If we both come back from this at all, everything will be different."

"Sure, everything will change but on our terms. We've been running until now, Miranda. It has to stop."

"I understand. I just - I wish I was there. With you."

"Me too."

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say goodbye."

"Then finish this, Shepard. Finish this, and find me."

—

Admiral Hackett's voice came clear and calm through the Alliance broadcasting unit.

"All fleets! The Crucible is armed. Disengage and head to the rendezvous point."

Explosions could be seen on the Earths surface, out in space, as ships collided and were sheared in half by the Reapers pulse beams.

"I repeat: Disengage and get the hell out of here!"

Miranda Lawson was stationed in the medical ward of the SSV Everest. Once the Crucible had been built, her expertise had been needed elsewhere, but upon hearing Hackett's orders, she raced to the bridge.

The SSV Everest had turned away from the Crucible, and was speeding towards the Charon Relay. It arrived at the rear end of the fifth fleet, but several minutes before the SSV Normandy. Their target was the Exodus Cluster, and with the remainder of the Fifth Fleet, and the majority of the Fourth Fleet, the SSV Everest successfully traversed the relay before the crucible explosion ripped through the relay power supply.

Miranda Lawson was present on the bridge when the red light flashed. It was Miranda Lawson who screamed when the she saw the ships transitioning out of FTL around the relay disintegrate as the surge of light caught them. It was Miranda Lawson who sank to her knees in the middle of the crowded bridge as others stared at the destruction they saw.

But it was Miranda Lawson who spearheaded the effort to re-engage the Mass Relay power source. It was Miranda Lawson who cared for those who had been injured during the battle for Earth. And it was Miranda Lawson who, after repairing the Mass Relay and returning to the Sol cluster, started a charity to help those struggling after the end of the war.

Miranda Lawson found some joy in her helping of others. She was able to use her inherited wealth - now worth less than before the war, but still worth enough - to start Iaso, to start building bridges, to start returning the world to normal on her terms.

She was done with running.

But she never forgot Commander John Shepard.