A week into Project Retrofit Alice reported that both basements in their new house were dug and secured with bomb-safe walls. They only needed proper outfit. Safety locks, weapons racks, armour shelves and other furniture were delivered and ready to be installed. Jo and Joker asked Matt, Dex, Tali, Garrus and their other old friends to help with all the security measures in the basement, inside the house, on the roof and on the perimeter. For a whole week the recruits worked on the station under Jack's supervision while the Moreau house was being finished.
When that job was nearly done, Kasumi showed up from nowhere and started bugging Jo and Joker about the kind of decorations they wanted in their new home. They demanded that she didn't steal too much of it, and nothing that would get them into trouble. After all their nagging Kasumi agreed to pay for everything she was going to get for them, but she refused their money.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "Your current and former Normandy crew decided to make it your housewarming gift. I'm in charge of procuring everything you want, and all you two have to do is show up in your fully furnished house and tell us if you like it. Whatever you keep on the Normandy that you want to be a part of your new home, have it delivered and I'll take care of it."
When she disappeared again, Jo said to Joker:
"You know, it's kind of nice not to have to take care of everything."
"Yeah, for once. And we can always change whatever we don't like," he agreed, kissing her.
While Kasumi was busy at their house, Joker rounded up all his flight recruits and put them in transport shuttles. They started running delivery from the planet's surface to the station, bringing in more materials, furniture, tech and even food that needed to be brought through customs and the station's security before being unloaded.
That raised several unhappy voices among Chrysalis' delivery companies. Matt immediately put them all on his close watch list. If they so desperately wanted to use their own shuttles and to come to the station personally, they clearly had an agenda. Someone must have paid them to smuggle spying devices onto the station or to gather intel on whatever was happening inside. When Joker's recruits found out about this, they formed a united front while dealing with deliveries and security. Nobody hesitated even for a second to defend their new home and family.
Just a few days later Jo got a call from Earth.
"Hackett," she greeted the man on the screen.
"Commander Moreau," he nodded respectfully. Jo had a sucking feeling in her throat when she assessed him: this was the man she'd known for years before she became a Spectre and everything had gone down the drain. A collected, controlled veteran who knew his worth and wouldn't bend over for anyone, but still had enough humility to respect other people's abilities. This was the mentor who, alongside Anderson, had helped her climb the career ladder, had had her back and pushed her to the limit, showing her that she was capable of more than even she believed. The man she liked and respected, who was a true N7 and a part of her family, was in front of her once again.
Jo had the shock of her life when she felt tears tingling in her eyes. She wasn't the kind of woman to cry at a sentimental thought! Then again, she had never been pregnant before. Karin told her that her emotions would be all over the place.
"What's up?" She asked Hackett before he noticed her predicament.
"I have an update on my work here," he said. Jo noticed that he didn't ask about her own new job, or about the station's condition, or even the new recruits. Could it be that she had truly become the head of this family and he recognised his place in it under her command? She would have to investigate his attitude some more. Hackett spoke on: "We've built three more orphanages here on Earth, but it's not enough. Ever since you came back and the media paid some serious attention to what Staff Commander Vega was doing in your name, we receive a steady stream of volunteers who help us with rescue missions, setting up and maintaining the orphanages and attending to the children, but it's by far not enough. Sometimes we need things even money can't buy on Earth. Mostly medicine and food, but also proper security for the kids themselves and for the shuttles running delivery. There are several bandit groups that started intercepting them. We've lost eighteen pilots that way and over a hundred thousand credits worth of food and clothing. We need help here, Commander, and the fastest and easiest way for us to get it is through you."
"All the money I can give you is yours," Jo shrugged.
"As I said, sometimes even money can't buy what we need. I want you to make a public statement, addressing everyone across the whole galaxy who is in a position to help in any way. They won't listen to a former human dictator, or even our government, but they will all listen to you. There are rich people out there who sit on billions. There are colonies that have food and no way to share it. There are abandoned docks and ships because the people had been killed. There are millions of unemployed, lost people without hope, who could help. We need a way to bring all these factors together into an organised operation."
"I'll take care of it," Jo said. "Liara already asked me if I wanted to make an official statement, but the idea was pushed aside, what with my wedding and the new station opening. I'll get you what you need."
Hackett nodded with visible relief.
"I'll be waiting for an update," he nodded before signing off. Jo clasped her hands together on her belly - a new gesture she picked up after getting pregnant - and closed her eyes. Her analytic brain ran numbers, composed statements and made to-do lists for several minutes before she called Matt on the intercom.
"Matty, Dex," she said. "Please, set up a foundation for me. When I make a statement Hackett wants, I'll need something official where people can transfer money to or offer their services."
"Should we call it The Shepard Foundation?" Matt asked.
"God, no. Something neutral. Like 'Light at the End of the Tunnel'."
"Jo, you should never be allowed to name anything," Dex laughed. "I say it's horrible, and I'm an AI. Imagine what actual people would think."
"I don't really care what you name it. Pick something that has no connection to me and has something to do with children. I'm not picky. I'm gonna go organise a press conference and give my recruits their first real assignment."
"I called it Aurora Foundation," Matt spoke with a chuckle. His fingers were clearly hard at work already. "And I'll tell everyone that you came up with the name."
"Whatever," Jo shook her head as she headed towards the atrium.
"I just created an extranet site for the foundation and put in a request with the bank to set up an account," Dex reported. "You'll need to verify it in person tomorrow." Then his voice turned sneaky: "I put your picture on the site's front."
"What picture?" Jo grew suspicious of Dex's enjoyment.
"Of you in the hospital in Riga, telling the children about afterlife."
"There is a picture of that?"
"I took a shot from the security camera footage and cleaned it up. A lot. Made you look so preeeeeetty!" Dex snickered. Jo stopped in the middle of the corridor and stomped her foot in mock outrage:
"I don't need retouching to look pretty, Dex! I look like a goddess! And if someone says otherwise, I'll complain to my husband. Just wait and see what kind of hell he'll make your life."
"He's gonna have to catch me first," Dex laughed.
"That's a low blow," Jo narrowed her eyes at the nearest camera, even though she could barely hold back a laughing fit.
"What's going on here?" Joker suddenly stood in front of her, eyeing the camera on the ceiling suspiciously.
"Dex just called me ugly and insinuated that you can't even run," Jo put on her best pouty lip.
"I can't run, so what?" Joker grabbed Jo by her hips and pulled her against him. "But what does an incorporeal, gay, artificial three-year-old know about a woman's real beauty?" He kissed Jo with an obscene amount of tongue. Both Matt and Dex hissed through the speakers with impressed laughter, acknowledging that his blow was even lower than Dex's.
"God, you're such an asshole," Jo melted into her husband's kiss. "I love you."
"Always here to defend your honour," Joker was clearly pleased with himself.
"You are," Jo agreed as she felt another sting of tears in her eyes. Great, she was getting emotional over the smallest things now. "Come on, I have an announcement to make. Matty, gather everyone in the cafeteria for lunch."
"Will do," Matt chuckled. He and Dex enjoyed the same twisted kind of humour Jo and Joker did. That conversation would have sounded outrageous to most people, but not to them.
"Hey, everyone," Jo addressed the station inhabitants as they all sat down to eat in the cafeteria. "I just talked to Admiral Hackett, who is organising rescue missions and safe houses for children on Earth, and it got me thinking. There are thousands of orphaned children all over the galaxy, not only on Earth, and they need our help. They can't protect themselves, can't provide for themselves and the world has become a dangerous place for the weak and innocent. I believe that each of us is in this very room right now because we all believe in protecting those who need it. As Hackett told me, there is a lot we can do. There are rich people who can donate money. There are resources that need moving from planet to planet, abandoned ships and unemployed people in the wrong places. We need to bring all those assets together."
Everyone slowly put down their cutlery and listened with undivided attention, frowning and nodding.
"I asked Matt and Dex to set up a foundation. It's going to be a hub for people to offer help and request it if needed. Once the bank account has been set up tomorrow, my husband and I will be the first to donate money to it." Jo felt another prickle of tears when Joker nodded at her with a proud smile. "I'll also prepare an official statement and release it on all channels, telling the whole galaxy about my ideas. What I need from you right now is a bit of footwork. On Earth, Admiral Hackett is in charge of this operation. Please, contact your own home planets or colonies and find out what is being done there about orphaned children, who is in charge, what kind of help they need and what we can do for them. Tell them about the new foundation, and if possible look for people who would be willing to help as well. If your species doesn't have children," she looked at the nearest geth. "Everyone would appreciate it very much if you could contribute to this project in whatever way you are comfortable with. Thank you and good luck."
She sat down and immediately felt Tali's gloved hand on hers:
"That's a good idea, Jo. Thank you. We could do a lot of good with this project."
"Yeah, good call," Jack nodded grimly. She would probably always have a weak spot in her heart for orphaned, abandoned or mistreated children.
When Jo and Joker were back on the Normandy that night, she asked him:
"We have close to one and a half billion credits at this moment. I would have easily suggested that we donate all of it to the foundation, but there is something else I was thinking about, but only in case you're interested."
"What is it?" Joker felt her seriousness.
"The Vrolik syndrome," Jo said carefully. "When Dex needled you today about not being able to run, I wondered if it's something you'd actually want to do. You surely know that it doesn't matter to me in the least. I fell in love with your crooked shoulders and I wouldn't change anything at all about you. But I know that you agreed to Cerberus working on you and you seem to enjoy the mobility their procedure gave you. So I'm wondering if it's something you'd really want to do. Fund scientists to research the syndrome and look for ways to work around it. As I said: you're perfect to me. This is entirely up to you. I mean, we talk about most things, but hardly about what you want deep inside. You don't like talking about yourself."
Joker sat still for a long moment. A little black hole in his guts started sucking in all his organs. His wife was right: he absolutely didn't like to talk about himself. Not only was he a private person, he also didn't want to show weakness by voicing dreams that could never come true. Being able to run, jump and kick? Fuck, that was more than just a dream. That was the underlying longing through all his life, one he learned well not to show. He even learned to lie to himself, saying that he didn't feel it. But he did and always would.
His hand shook when he rubbed his stomach, trying to calm down his sudden nerves. Would it be okay to open himself to Jo this way? He wasn't a hypocrite. He knew that he was holding a part of himself hidden from her even after they got married. No matter what she said, he was still very much aware of her prime condition and all her physical skills. He couldn't help feeling inadequate next to her sometimes, like a weakling or a cripple. He didn't resent her for it, not at all. Instead he tried his best to show everyone how little he cared about such things. But deep inside he did.
Joker wanted to be worthy of standing next to a woman like Jo, being her equal in all ways. Of course he knew that he'd never be as big and tough as Vega, but at the very least he wanted... Oh, hell. He noticed how Jo folded her hands on her belly and something inside him broke apart.
"Fuck, Jo," he sucked in some air. "I do want it. Even if there's no cure, I at least want to try. I want to be able to run after my child," he nodded at her protectively folded hands. "I want... I want you to be on top for once, without constantly fearing that my hips would crush if you lost control in passion. Hell, I just want you to sit on my knee in the cafeteria now and then. So yes, I want it. Not as much as I want you and my child, but I do want it."
"Thank you for telling me," Jo squeezed his hand in hers. She probably knew exactly the turmoil he was in, but let him keep his dignity.
Next day Joker flew them to the bank instead of going to work. Once every legality was taken care of, they authorised a transfer of half a billion credits to the foundation. Then they met a horde of journalists from every news station they knew and Jo gave them a similar speech she gave the recruits the day before.
"It will be my personal pet project," she explained when questions started. "I will make sure that as many children as possible are taken care of. I grew up on the streets myself and I'd like to save whomever I can from that fate. The best care for a child is of course a family, even if it's an adoptive one. Still, a well-run safe house is better than daily battle for survival."
"Commander Moreau," one of the journalists asked. "You seem to care a great deal about orphaned children. Not only do you donate your own money to the cause, but you invest your time and effort into this project. Why haven't you and your husband adopted a child from the streets yet?"
Joker waited for her answer as eagerly as the journalists. He'd wondered the same thing several weeks ago, and he still didn't know the reason. Jo looked down at her hands folded on a conference table and he realised that she was fighting a strong emotion before she looked up again.
"How could we possibly choose?" She said to the journalist who asked the question. "How could we possibly pick one, or two, or even twenty to welcome into our family, share our home with, provide for and love on, day and night? How could we choose when there are so many other children in need? To me, none of them is more special than the other. They are all equally in my thoughts. The whole idea of a family is for parents to concentrate their effort on a few children over a long period of time. That's why I'm not a mother to all those orphaned and lost children out there. I'm their champion, trying to help all of them to the best of my abilities in their time of need. Sadly, there are too many children who need help right now for me to stop and concentrate on a chosen few. We will do what we can for as many as we can without preferential treatment. I hope you understand."
Joker could see her reasoning. However, he also knew something she would never say in public: expecting their own child at the moment, they were both scared shitless of being parents. Compared to that, being champions for the cause was a hell of a lot easier. Neither he nor Jo were emotionally ready to cross that line.
Thus the ball was set rolling. The recruits helped spread the word about the foundation and its mission, which received an immediate public response. Meanwhile, half of the retrofits on the station were finished.
Finally, Kasumi called to tell Jo and Joker that their house was ready.
"Take us home," Jo said to Joker that afternoon. They made a quick stop at the Normandy to collect their last personal belongings and headed to the suburbs. It felt odd but exciting to own walls that were attached to a planet's surface and have a permanent address.
Everything was quiet in the empty house when they arrived. Joker parked his beloved Swan and they approached the front door. The camera above it focused on them and a pleasant artificial voice announced:
"Good evening. I am the resident VI, booting up for the first official setup. Please, choose a name for me."
Jo and Joker exchanged a quick glance that said: anything but EDI.
"Tess. Your name will be Tess," Joker said.
"Thank you. Welcome home. Mr. Moreau, please put your hand on the pad and state your name to set up voice recognition."
Joker did as instructed, Tess thanked him and repeated the procedure with Jo.
"Please choose and enter the security code for the front and back doors."
Jo quickly typed in fifteen random numbers. Her nearly perfect memory wouldn't let her forget it, and Joker was equally good with numbers. The door opened and let them inside. Jo and Joker stepped in and found themselves in a big living room. There were armchairs and sofas in front of a gigantic vid screen, complete with a fully equipped entertainment center attached. There were real and holographic plants, some unobtrusive but tasteful (thus expensive) artwork spread around, a few tables and bookshelves.
On the left side was an arch that led to a fully stocked kitchen. Beyond the living room was a study and the bedrooms, all of them decorated and furnished just the way Joker and Jo told Kasumi.
After a quick tour Jo went back to the car and picked up the two items she had taken from Silvia Moreau's destroyed house: a sewing chest and a photo album. Joker put the album on one of the bookshelves and watched Jo with barely hidden emotion when she put the chest on a low table in the corner. It was incredibly sad, but couldn't be helped, that this was all they had left of their families.
"Tess, tell us about the house," Joker asked the VI.
"There is a mech in the charging station down the hall which I control. It will help you with cleaning, gardening and other menial jobs. I also keep your shopping list and will order your groceries at the nearby store as needed. The security has five levels. Level 5 is standard working condition with owners at home. Level 4 is the first alert with owners at home and in distress. I will contact a doctor, a fire squad or a security team from the nearby C-Sec or from the ICA station as required."
"C-Sec?" Jo interrupted her.
"City Security, equivalent to Citadel Security forces in function. Level 3 means the owners are not home and the house is locked up. Level 2 is a first alert at unauthorised perimeter breach or enemy detection on any of the scanners. Level 1 means the house is under siege and battle ready, firing at will. The security locks in the lower basement await authorisation codes, voice and DNA samples for any authorised persons. All bathrooms are fully equipped urine testers for regular health check-ups. The QEC pad in the study as well as all consoles and computers in the house are secure and protected by the ICA's firewalls. The irrigation system in the back and front yards is adjusted appropriately to the season. You have visitors at the front door."
"Huh?" Jo blinked at the last announcement. She turned to the door and saw a screen next to it showing a whole crowd in front of the house. Jo giggled, opening the door.
"Hey, guys!" Jack waltzed in, waving a bottle of liquor in the air.
"We just invited ourselves for a housewarming party," said Tali, who followed her.
"Don't worry, we brought food," Garrus came in next, his arms full with supplies.
"We installed the grill in the back yesterday," Steve winked at them, followed by Traynor, Westmoreland and Vega.
"I got enough lawn chairs for everyone," Kasumi added. "No worries there."
"I got you a little present," Liara said and handed Jo a small box. "It's seeds of various flowers from Thessia. You can start your own garden if you like."
"I wanted to get you a baby Thresher Maw," Wrex grinned widely. "But customs wouldn't let me near the planet with it. Squishy weaklings. I'll bring you your favourite varren next time."
More and more people entered the house, handing them small gifts and heading towards the back yard. Zaeed, Samara, Campbell, Rodney, Alice and Kolyat, Karin, Gabby, Ken, Adams, Alenko holding hands with Oriana Lawson, Matt, Dex's mech and finally Grunt, walking on his newly grown legs. Jo squealed and hugged him. He rumbled deeply in return, grinning like a maniac.
"Well, all right, then," Jo waggled her eyebrows at her husband once everyone was inside. Their guests didn't need entertaining. They started the grill, set the tables in the back yard, brought the chairs, mixed the drinks and put on music all without the owners' intervention.
"Don't you just love having such organised friends?" Jo leaned her shoulder against Joker's as they watched the activity.
"I hope they're just as organised when it comes to cleaning," he deadpanned. "I see Kaidan and Oriana are an item now."
"And she seems to have forgiven me for Miranda's death. That's a weight off my shoulders."
The party went a lot like the last party in Anderson's apartment on the Citadel did, only there was no feeling of doom hanging over them. They could finally truly relax. There was food and drinking games, jokes and ribbing, old stories and new plans, a lot of pictures taken by Glyph, dancing and testing the security system, viewing the artwork and perusing Joker's game collection on the console by the vid screen. By midnight, however, the guests cleaned away all traces of the party and wished Jo and Joker a great time christening every flat surface in the house before they all left.
"Alone at last," Joker said, holding Jo by the hips as they stood in the middle of the living room. A soft song started playing quietly in the speakers and they both instinctively started swaying slowly to the melody, just stepping from one foot to another. A slightly accented female voice started singing.
"Kasumi didn't make a nursery. All the bedrooms are just regular bedrooms," Joker noted.
"We didn't tell her she should," Jo shrugged. "That's something I really want us to do together, without anyone's help."
"Me too." They slow-danced to the song, when it grew louder and they started paying attention to the lyrics.
"Underneath your clothes there's an endless story, there's the man I chose, there's my territory and all the things I deserve for being such a good girl, honey."
Joker sputtered and Jo choked on laughter, but let her glance glide down his body and up again. The lyrics fit, so why not play along?
The song continued:
"...because of you I'm running out of reasons to cry. When the friends are gone, when the party's over we will sill belong to each other. Underneath your clothes..."
As they took in the lyrics, Jo gaped at Joker breathlessly, eyes wide. Tears started welling up. How could a song sum up their feelings so well with just a few words?
Joker grabbed her tightly and crushed her against him, burying his face in her neck. Jo started crying for real, holding him close. They still moved slowly with the song until it faded out.
"Dex and his obsession with fitting songs," Joker cursed. "Didn't we specifically wish not to have an AI in the house?"
"No AI resides in this house," Tess offered helpfully. "The playlist was programmed by Dex before he left."
"Oh, well, in that case," Joker remarked sarcastically, letting go of Jo. He smiled and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "Are you getting all emotional because you're pregnant, like Karin said you would?"
"Yeah, seems like it," she wiped her face with her sleeve.
"So, what else is different now? Are there any physical activities we shouldn't engage in anymore?"
Jo walked around the couch and her glance fell on a collection of cushions lined up there.
"Oh, I don't know..." She drawled, took one cushion by the corner and weighed it in her hands. "Let's find out." She produced a very Wrex-like snigger and threw the cushion at Joker's head. He hadn't seen it coming, so it hit him square in the face, knocking off his cap.
The cushion fell at his feet. For several seconds he stared at her in utter disbelief. Then he picked it up and grabbed it firmly:
"You started it, bitch. Prepare to die!" He tossed the cushion at her and she squealed, jumping to the side. She got distracted by checking where it landed. Joker used that to grab another cushion from he couch and pounce. "I'm gonna wipe the floors with you!"
Jo laughed and ran around the couch, Joker in hot pursuit.
"Bring it, asshole!" She shrieked, grabbing another cushion and turning to face him. "My aim is better than yours!"
"You're - so - dead!" Joker laughed between receiving blows on his head and dealing blows with his own weapon of choice. Finally he managed to wrestle Jo's cushion away from her and tossed it over his shoulder, about to jump her and tickle her to hysterics. A crash from behind him made them both stop and see what happened. The cushion had hit a potted flower. The poor thing now lay on the floor, surrounded by shards and soil. "Oops?" Joker looked at Jo again.
"You spread chaos and destruction!" Jo grabbed a second cushion and started a two-handed attack. Joker didn't just take it, he deflected her blows with an arm while stepping around and smacking Jo on the ass with his cushion. She roared with laughter and ran again. A soft projectile sailed after her but hit a painting on the wall when she ducked. The painting fell. Jo stopped and turned around. She found Joker armed with two more cushions, just like her, and stalking towards her with focused intent in his eyes.
"You can't escape your punishment, so take it like a man," he told her.
"You'll tell me to grow some balls next?" She taunted him. "Balls are soft and sensitive. I have a vagina, and boy, can it take a pounding!"
The next second they met in the middle of the room and cushion blows rained from all sides. Another crash signalled the death of one more flower. And then one more. And one more.
